How Paige McCullers saved my life
by subway20
Summary: Slight A/U (no "A", no murders). English version of the French fanfic "Comment Paige McCullers m'a sauvé la vie". For you English readers! Emily Fields is the star of the Rosewood swim team, but her life is far from perfect. This is gonna change when she meets Paige McCullers, an exchange student from California. Paily, McHastings.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: So this is the first chapter of the English version of my fic. I posted the story in French, a few months ago and some people asked me to translate it, so here it is. **

**I hope you will enjoy it. This is a 15 chapter story, and it is complete, but I'm still working on the translation. I should be able to post one chapter a week. **

**Mistakes are mine, but thanks to **_shipallllltheships_ **who agreed to be my beta reader and did a wonderful job with this first chapter, this shoud be relatively mistake-free.**

**Please feel free to PM and review!**

**Chapter1**

Emily Fields was late. It had been happening more and more often lately. She had gotten warnings about it from her coach, and her mother. Not that she really cared. These days, Emily made a point _not_ to behave like the ideal student or daughter she used to be - at least, not to the outside world.

Walking quickly, she checked her cell phone for the fifteenth time that morning. Still no texts or calls. She knew she was going to cross paths with Hanna, Spencer and Aria during the school day. But _Alison_? The blonde had promised to give her a call last night, and Emily had stayed awake very late, almost until two in the morning, before reluctantly closing her cell phone and falling asleep.

Emily grumbled while climbing the steps of Rosewood High School. There were hardly any other students in sight. Classes had probably already started. She was even later than she had thought.

Sighing, she tucked a strand of her silky black hair behind her ear, and shifted her bag on her shoulder. She was heading to the school office to beg for a late pass, when she heard her name.

"Fields!" The girl turned to face her swim coach, Mrs. Fulton, who was looking at her sternly.

"What are you still doing here? All of your teammates are already in the gymnasium. Do I need to remind you that we're welcoming the Oakland students today?" the coach said impatiently.

"I... what?" Emily stammered, confused. What the hell was Fulton talking about?

"The Oakland swimming team!" Fulton said, shaking her head, clearly irritated.

The girl lowered her eyes, trying to figure out what she was missing.

"Really, Emily! You don't even look awake. Nor interested, by the way. Okay, just follow me. I told you, everybody's already there. Aren't you looking forward to meeting your exchange student?"

Motioning the girl to come with her, Fulton headed to the gymnasium. Emily followed for a moment, before stopping dead in her tracks. She remembered now. This stupid swimming exchange. The swim team from a California high school was going to spend two whole weeks in Rosewood. All the swim team members were supposed to host a student who would in turn, host them a few months later, when the Rosewood Sharks flew to the west coast.

The idea had sounded fun to Emily when Fulton first told the team about it. She was very eager to visit California, and sharing her room with a girl who was also a swimmer had sounded great at the time. But that was _before_. Now, everything had changed. And Emily Fields had other things on her mind - on in her heart - then swimming competitions, and stupid student exchanges.

The gymnasium was filled with the noises of the swim team girls. Following Fulton, Emily saw that all her teammates were already gathered on the bleachers. Several of them were carrying signs that read "Welcome Oakland" and "The Sharks are welcoming the Jets".

"Ridiculous." Emily mumbled, sitting down on the bench. Sydney, a new girl on the team, elbowed her.

"So Fields, you're late? The star of the team sure knows how to make an entrance!"

Annoyed by the comment, Emily frowned at the young swimmer. Though she was a newbie, Sydney always seemed to be incredibly self-assured. Emily felt her cheeks flush red, but before she could answer and put Sydney in her place, the younger girl winked at her and put a finger to her lips, hushing Emily.

Coach Fulton was now in the center of the gym, next to a younger woman, wearing a red and yellow tracksuit. The Oakland coach, Emily guessed. Fulton clapped her hands and, with her powerful voice, ordered the teenage girls to stop talking. The place turned quiet almost immediately, the swimmers raising their heads and paying attention. Emily was the only one with her head down, her black hair hiding her face. Lost in her thoughts, she didn't register the presence of a bunch of girls in tracksuits in one corner of the gym, with bags and suitcases at their feet. She also didn't notice that one of the Californian swimmers was staring at her with intense brown eyes.

"Girls!" Fulton said. "Our school, and especially our team, is proud to welcome one of the best swimming teams in Northern California. This exchange is a first, for both of our high schools. Coach Nordwell and I hope that you will all benefit from the experience, and that the healthy competition will help you to improve your results."

The Rosewood swim team girls clapped their hands, and so did a few California girls, who, for the most part, were wearing wide smiles on their faces. Emily stood by idly, her eyes focused on her shoes. She was feeling terribly uneasy. How could she have forgotten? She remembered more clearly now. Her family was supposed to host a sixteen-year-old California girl. Jessica something. Emily's mother talked about that during lunch last Sunday. Emily hadn't paid much attention to it at the time. What Pam Fields hadn't known was that her daughter's mind had been clouded by alcohol from the night before. Emily had gotten back home at 4 A.M., climbing through her window, which she had let open for the occasion, at usual.

Emily was startled by the noise coming from her cell phone. She feverishly checked the screen. A text from Alison. _At last_, Emily thought with relief, her heart pouding. "Where are you, Em? Biology is SO boring. I miss my favorite lab partner" Alison had written, ending her message with her usual "XoXoXo."

Emily began to text her back, but was soon cut off by a loud "Ahem!".

She raised her eyes to see Fulton and the Oakland coach standing just in front of her. The Oakland woman was smiling at her, but Fulton was looking at her best swimmer with a frown. _Pretty much like always, these days_, Emily realized.

"Fields!" Fulton barked. "Put down your phone. Please be kind enough to try looking interested by today's event - at least for a minute. Coach Nordwell, here, has something to tell you."

"I've heard a lot about you, Emily" , the young California coach said in a warm voice. "Your times are really impressive. You're as good as my best swimmers." "Thanks", Emily mumbled. She didn't like to be put on the spot. She knew she was one of the team's best swimmers. She was the anchor of almost each relay. But she had turned down the offer to be team captain. She just wasn't interested. She wasn't interested in _swimming_ anymore. Something she didn't dare telling her coach, yet, let alone her family.

"There's been a slight change of plans, Emily." Fulton said, and the teenage girl raised her eyes expectantly. Maybe she wouldn't have to host a exchange student after all. _Please tell me that_, Emily thought hopefully.

The Californian coach reached out her arm, and Emily met her kind smile. Nordwell handed a cardboard file to her, and Emily looked at Fulton, confused. Her coach shrugged. "Emily, your family was supposed to host Jessica VanDier. But the poor girl broke her leg three days ago, so she had to stay in Oakland. We had to rethink the hosting. We decided that you will host the Jet's team captain. You will probably... get along well. We hope so, at least."

Emily didn't miss the wink exchanged by the two coaches. Fulton was now wearing a broad smile.

The dark haired girl took a look at the file she was holding, and saw for the firt time the name written under the one of unlucky Jessica. "_Paige McCullers_." Emily read aloud.

"Here!"

A clear and confident voice startled her. Standing in front of her, in the Jet's yellow and red tracksuit was a tall chestnut-haired girl. Her big brown eyes were staring at her with such intensity that Emily looked away uneasily.

Paige McCullers, for that was clearly her name, seemed very comfortable with the situation. Unlike Emily Fields, who was wishing to be anywhere but here.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Thank you so much everybody for the reviews and for the follows and favorites. Here is chapter 2, I hope you'll like it. **

**Thank you **_shipallllltheships _**for beta reading this chapter and correcting the (stupid) grammar and spell mistakes I still make. **

_**Guest1**_**: You're welcome! :)**

_**Guest2**_**: hope you'll like this chapter!**

_**xLix**_**: Thanks! I'm really happy to be able to post this story in English. Translation is tricky, and sometimes it's frustrating. But I won't give up!**

_** .dias**_**: thanks for the encouragement!**

_**SouthernStateOfMind**_**: thank you! I love your stories, so I was elated when I read your review.**

_**LizHtee24**_**: thank you! Hope this chapter will be worth the wait.**

_**theresgraffitionmydesk**_**: thank you! (and nice name, by the way)**

_**jhas**_**: thanks! I hope I'll be able to update once a week.**

**Chapter 2**

"Let me clear the table, Mrs. Fields."

Emily rolled her eyes at Paige's request. The auburn-haired girl took the dish from Pam Field's hands, and the older woman smiled gratefully at Paige as she headed to the kitchen.

"She's been here for barely two hours, and she's already acting like she's at home" Emily mumbled.

"What, sweetie?" her mother asked.

The tall brunette shrugged and answered without even looking at her mother.

"Nothing. I'm going upstairs, I've got some homework to do."

Truthfully, Emily was planning to sneak out of the house as soon as possible, but it was more difficult now that she had a "guest" sharing her room.

Emily took her phone from her pocket and started texting Alison as she climbed the stairs. "_Stuck at home for a while. I'll be at your place ASAP_."

To her surprise, the answer came very quickly; usually, Alison made a point to wait before answering her friends' messages. "_Change of plans. Going to Philly with CeCe. Sorry honey! I'll call you soon. XoXoXo."_

Emily sat on her bed fighting tears. And as so often happened, she was furious with Alison... and with herself.

She suddenly remembered a recent conversation she had had with Spencer. Like this evening, Alison had ditched her without any warning, and the young swimmer hadn't been able to hide her disappointment from her friends.

With her usual openness, Spencer Hastings had grabbed Emily by her shoulders, and, staring right into her eyes, had said: "You can't let her have this kind of power over you, Em."

Emily hadn't answered and had turned away, faking a migraine to escape from the girls and go back home. Her friends hadn't fought her. And Emily had spent the evening sobbing into her pillow.

She, of course, knew that Spencer was right. She knew that Alison was toying with her. The blonde, blue-eyed girl was perfectly aware of her own magnetism. She knew Emily couldn't resist her. And also, she _knew_. She knew what Emily was desperately trying to hide.

A knock at the door roused Emily from her thoughts. Paige was standing in the doorframe, giving her that warm smile that Emily already found deeply irritating.

"What? What do you want?" Emily said, a little more harshly than she had intended. She immediately noticed Paige's self-assurance falter. The California girl was looking down at her feet.

"I was just wondering if you'd like to join me. I was going to go for a run. So..."

"You... you're going to run every evening?" Emily asked, intrigued despite herself.  
She had already noticed that Paige seemed to be in great shape.

"The all-California girl, with her sun tans and healthy fruit juices?" she said with a defiant tone, without waiting for the girl's reply.

"What?"

Paige was looking at her with her confused look on her face. _She probably thinks she's quite the charmer_, Emily thought. _Well, that doesn't work on me. _

The Rosewood high school girl saw with satisfaction that Paige McCullers seemed distressed now. The girl's reddened cheeks and her eyes focused on the ground told Emily that her comment had hit it's mark.

"I'm... I'm going to get changed," Paige muttered. She grabbed her bag and headed to the bathroom without looking at Emily.

Emily, without really knowing why, was feeling a little guilty. But she had decided to be hard on Paige. After all, the girl was not even supposed to be here in the first place. And she hadn't liked Fulton's comments and the wry smiles the two coaches had shared.

"They're totally wrong. We have nothing in common," Emily mumbled. The other girl was already getting on her nerves. And now she had to share a room with her. But thankfully not a bed; Emily's mother had brought up a spare bed from the basement. Emily looked at the mess on Paige's bed with annoyance: clothes thrown in a pile, a MP3 player and a pair of headphones, not to mention various plastic bags with undetermined contents.

So Paige wasn't perfect. She seemed to be a total slob, Emily decided, feeling a little better with that thought.

The bathroom door opened, startling her. Without a glance at Emily, Paige, now dressed in her Oakland High tracksuit, crossed the room and grabbed her MP3 player and a towel from the mess on her bed. Emily noticed that the chesnut-haired girl was now wearing a ponytail; it really suited her.

Emily averted her gaze, not wanting to be caught staring. She quickly grabbed a book from her bedside table, pretending to find the cover interesting in the hopes that Paige wasn't going to ask her again if she wanted to go with her.

But the Californian swimmer obviously had no intention of talking to her roommate. She left the room without a word, closing the door quietly behind her.

* * *

An hour and a half later, Emily, dressed in black jeans and a light brown leather jacket over a plaid shirt, was sneaking out of her window. Downstairs, Pam Fields was already asleep in front of the TV, like almost every other night. Emily headed to the garage, her phone in hand. She grabbed the bike she had hidden under a black cover. Emily's parents didn't like her using a bike; they were constantly afraid of an accident endangering her swimming career. They'd rather her drive their car or take a bus, which Emily hated.

The tall raven-haired girl climbed onto her bike and drove off into the night. She was heading to the high school. This boring and sometimes harsh place during the day was surprisingly appealing to her at night. If you knew where the interesting spots were, that is. Emily smiled at the thought. She was pretty sure Taylor and Moira were already waiting for her. She knew exactly where to find them.

She was near the sports field when she heard Moira's high-pitched voice. "Emily! At last! We're over here."

Emily crawled beneath the bleachers and waved a greeting to the girls. Moira hugged her warmly, but Taylor just smiled at her, her eyes half-closed. She was probably already high, Emily thought, noticing the empty bottles on the ground. She sat next to Moira, who elbowed her playfully. "I won the bet, Fields."

"What bet?" Emily asked, surprised.

"Taylor said you weren't coming. But I was sure you were going go show up eventually. You'd rather spend the evening with us than with these fancy friends of yours."

Emily shrugged, not wanting to argue with this. Nobody knew she and Moira and Taylor were friends; at least, if a friend is someone you only see at night, secretly, for the sole purpose of binge drinking and smoking pot. Someone you ignore when you cross paths in the school hallways during the day.

Emily grabbed a half-filled bottle and took a sip. She started to cough, making Moira laugh. "Taylor's special mix. Vodka, gin and cranberry juice. Disgusting, if you ask me. But rather efficient."

That was just fine with Emily. Closing her eyes, she leaned back against the wall and took another sip from the bottle.

* * *

Three hours later, a stumbling drunk Emily was trying to get back into her room. Luckily, the house was quiet, and the window hadn't been closed. Emily was usually as agile as a cat, but her reflexes were slower because of the alcohol and the exhaustion. She fell awkwardly onto the window seat, bumping her right knee.

"Shit!" the tall raven-haired girl swore, grabbing her leg in pain. Limping towards her bed in the dark, she didn't realize Paige's spare bed was in her way. She accidentally hit her left tibia against the bed frame, and fell right on top of the girl who was lying there. Paige woke up with a jolt, just in time to hear Emily swearing again. The Rosewood teen tried to get up, but stumbled against the bed again. Then she heard Paige's laughter, and she felt the girl's strong arms around her shoulders, helping her sit down.

Paige turned on the bedside lamp, and Emily averted her eye, embarrassed by the sudden light and by Paige's scrutinizing gaze. The chesnut haired-girl was half-smiling, and was studying Emily's face with curiosity. Emily felt her cheeks burning. She had been caught in the act by a stranger. It was unfair, and it was humiliating.

"Next time you sneak out, please let me know ahead of time. I'll clear the room for you." Paige seemed to be really enjoying the situation. She winked at Emily and lay back on her bed, eyes closed, an arm behind her head.

Emily didn't respond. She wasn't feeling well. Her heart was hammering in her chest, and she felt nauseous. She rushed to the bathroom just in time, barely reaching the toilet before vomiting.

Afterwards, she stood for a few minutes, her head bent. She had a serious headache. She splashed her face with water and it helped a little. She remained in the bathroom for a while, trying to sober herself up.

She really had had too much to drink this time. Usually, she limited herself to a few drinks and maybe a joint or two. Especially after having a fight with her mother, or being ditched by Alison. But tonight, Taylor's "special mix" had had bad effects on her. _Note to self: avoid it next time_, Emily thought.

Like almost every time after a night like this, she had moved on to feeling ashamed. She wasn't feeling angry anymore, and she knew she was going to be massively hangover in the morning. Emily didn't exactly know why she acted like this. On the outside, she was Emily Fields: perfect daughter, earnest student, talented swimmer, not to mention one of the most popular girls in high school. Why was she feeling so badly then?

When she returned to her bedroom, she saw that Paige had left the bedside lamp on. The young Californian had her eyes closed and seemed to be sleeping peacefully, lying on her back. Emily looked at her, her gaze lingering on the girl's perfect lips, long eyelashes, and pale skin with slightly pink cheeks. Paige was undoubtedly a very pretty girl.

Emily averted her eyes at the thought, biting her upper lip. That's when she saw two pills and a piece of paper on her pillow. She reluctantly grabbed the note, which simply said: _"You will feel a lot better tomorrow if you take this right now. P."_


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Guys! So sorry for the wait. I know I promised weekly updates, and I'll do my best in the future. I won't be able to post the next chapter till early June though, cause I'm travelling for the next two weeks. ****But there's good news: I've already translated 9 chapters, and I'm working faster now. So don't worry: I won't give up on that story. Just be patient. And as always, feel free to review or PM me! I like that!**

**Again, thank you to my betareader who did an amazing job! :)**

_**jhas**_**: you'll find soon about Alison. Just remember it's a Paily fanfic, not an Emison one ;). And yes, Emily is in a bad place for now. But Paige is here to help her now! It will be a bumpy road, but Paily is endgame. I promise! ;)**

_**warrior29**_**: thanks! hope you'll like this chapter!**

_**Tns729**_**: glad you like it!**

_**Guest**_**: yes, Drunk Emily is a classic! (you'll see more of her in chapter 7. With an epic McHastings intervention).**

_**siophiefandom**_**: thank you so much! And yes, I don't know how Emily made it home safe on her bike. ;) I guess Rosewood roads are rather safe at night (there's no -A in this story...).**

_**LizHtee24: **_**sorry for the wait! Thank you for your review.**

_**Guest**_**: well, again, sorry for the late update. Hope this chapter (and the following ones) is worth it.**

**Chapter 3**

"Fields!" Coach Fulton barked angrily. It was never a good sign when she addressed her swimmers by their last name.

Emily got out of the pool, her eyes focused on the ground. She could feel her teammates' eyes on her, and it was unusually quiet. Coach was tapping her stopwatch; another bad sign.

Emily's times weren't so bad, but they were far from her best. And of course it had to happen now; with the Oakland team staying in Rosewood, the competition was getting tougher. Besides, the other Rosewood swimmers seemed boosted by their new opponents. Most of the girls had improved their times substantially.

As Coach Fulton stared at the tall raven-haired girl who was standing in front of her, the teenager's cheeks reddened, more from embarrassment than from physical exhaustion. The older woman sighed.

"Emily, what's going on with you? These last few weeks, it's like... you're not really here. If you don't get your head back soon, I might have to look for a new anchor."

Emily raised her eyes, looking at her coach in shock. For more than a year, she had been the anchor of the team, the last one to swim in relays. She had won numerous races, sometimes turning the situation around and winning from behind. Didn't that mean anything at all? Everything could end just because some bad training days?

Emily bit her lip. She was tempted to counter her coach, badly. _What would Alison say? She would tell Fulton to fuck off_. But Emily Fields was still a well-mannered girl. She knew she really couldn't answer that to a teacher. So her true nature took over her inner turmoil, and she only nodded, her eyes down.

"I'm gonna work harder, Coach."

"Good. We count on you. The team counts on you." Fulton seemed pleased. The coach turned back to talk to one of the other girls, who was having problems with her turns.

Emily headed to the locker room. She kept replaying Fulton's remark in her head. "Everybody counts on you." _That's the problem_, Emily thought with bitterness. _What if I don't want to be that girl anymore, the same old reliable Emily?_

Lost in her thoughts, she almost bumped into an Oakland student who was just getting out of the locker room, a towel on her shoulder.

"Hey! Watch out, sleepyhead!" the swimmer said sharply. Emily had seen her before; she was the Jet's co-captain, a tall black girl with intense eyes. Shana something.

The girl was looking at Emily with an air of poise and self-assurance, eyeing the Rosewood student from head to toe. Emily felt her anger rising. The girl was already acting like she owned the place.

She opened her mouth to answer, but before she could say something, a newcomer grabbed Shana by the shoulders and gently pulled her back.

"Wow, guys. Save your energy for the meets," a mocking voice said. Emily sighed. Paige. Of course.

Her new roommate whispered something in Shana's ear, making the black girl smile.

Whatever Paige had said seemed to have a magical effect on the Jet's co-captain, who lost her harshness all of a sudden. Shana motioned to Emily, in a rather theatrical way, to let her know she could go first. The Rosewood teen nodded and quickly headed to her locker. She didn't see Shana press a kiss to Paige's cheek. The chestnut-haired girl had her eyes focused on Emily.

* * *

Alison Di Laurentis' icy blue stare was inquisitive, as it often was with her. She looked at her friends gathered around her at their favorite table in the cafeteria. Hanna, as usual during lunch, was reading an issue of Vogue while absent-mindedly eating some grapes. Spencer was buried in a book, _of course_. Aria, a half-smile on her face, seemed lost in her inner world.

And Emily. Emily who was here, but seemed so far away. Alison had also noticed that Emily's eyes were carefully avoiding the back of the cafeteria, where the Oakland swimming team occupied two tables.

The California girls were all dressed in their team tracksuits, even when they weren't training, which Hanna had found, "Ridiculous; Especially with these colors; they don't match at all. Red and yellow_, really_?"

They seemed to form a close group, rather effusive. The cheerful voices and the laughter from their tables proved they were already feeling at ease in their "foster" high school. Alison's eyes landed on Shana, who was the center of the attention. The Jet's co-captain was obviously telling a compelling story. _She's probably bragging about her prowess in the pool... and in the bedroom_, Alison thought with annoyance. Some of the girls seemed fascinated; a few even had their mouths open.

Alison smiled. She knew this kind of fascination; It was usually directed at her. She also knew how to use it. And she had no intentions of letting that change.

"How long are they going to stay?" Alison suddenly asked. Spencer raised her eyes from her book. "What?" she and Aria asked at the same time.

"Those girls. Those swimmers. When are they going to leave?" Alison asked sharply. All eyes turned to Emily.

"They're only in Rosewood for the next two weeks," she mumbled.

Alison looked relieved. "Good. At least they won't be a nuisance for too long."

Spencer shrugged. "I don't see what the problem is. These kinds of exchanges between schools are actually really rewarding. And it's a good challenge for Emily's team."

Emily reacted strongly, much to her friends' surprise. "It's not my team. Don't call it that. I don't own the team. It's the high school team. I'm just on it."

Flabbergasted by the girl's sharp tone, Spencer chose not to argue, for once. But she couldn't help responding. "Okay, if you say so. But... you're still the star of the team, right?"

"Not for long, according to Fulton," Emily said gloomily.

"Come on Em, I'm sure Fulton knows you're still the best", Aria said quickly.

Emily shrugged, her face resigned. "Maybe. Or maybe not. I don't know anymore."

Alison put her hand on Emily's left arm. "Oh, sweetie. Don't bother too much. It's just a high school swim team. Who cares?"

Emily felt her cheeks getting warm. The blonde girl was staring at her with her usual smile, but her eyes were ice cold. Emily wanted to answer, but her mind was swirling, which was usually the case when Alison looked at her like that.

And, of course, her heart was hammering in her chest. She was torn between the need to cry and to snap at Alison. "Who cares, Ali? Well, I do. And my friends too. Because swimming is the only way for me to get a college scholarship."

The silence was heavy. The girls were all staring at Alison, Spencer the most upset by far. Maybe realizing she'd gone too far, the Di Laurentis' only daughter raised her hand and gently stroked Emily's hair. She leaned over the pretty raven-haired girl and whispered something in her ear. Emily raised a small smile, and Alison leaned back, relieved. She still had the control of the situation.

On the other side of the cafeteria, among the Oakland team, Paige McCullers was watching the exchange with interest. She couldn't hear the conversation between the two girls, but she had noticed the sudden tension, and Emily's reaction to her friend's comment. She had already nicknamed Alison "the Queen Bee" because of the influence she seemed to have on many students.

Paige had arrived in this high school only three days ago, and she wasn't going to stay, but she couldn't help noticing the strange atmosphere. Some students were hugging the walls, especially when Alison DiLaurentis and her 'posse', as one of Paige's teammates called them, was around. Those four girls, always impeccably dressed, actually seemed to be the sultry blonde's minions. And among them was Emily.

Emily who was only talking to Paige when it was absolutely necessary, and who looked really annoyed simply by the other girl's presence. Paige had been welcomed warmly by Pam Fields, but Emily's coldness was hurting her, more than she wanted. Paige McCullers was a charmer; she wasn't used to having people dislike her. Usually, her warm smile and her easy-going attitude were enough to soften even the surliest ones.

Paige was all the more curious because she found Emily really interesting. Of course, the tall raven-haired girl was gorgeous, but there was more thant that: she seemed to be fighting an inner fire that she wouldn't, or couldn't, let go of.

Paige knew that fight. She had been there. She was like that, before. Feeling closeted. Anger against the world, and against herself.

Her eyes still focused on her roommate, Paige made herself a promise. She was going to do her best to know the real Emily Fields. And, maybe, to help her.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Hey guys! I had to end my vacations sooner than expected, so I'm back. Thank you for your patience. This is chapter four, and the following chapters should coming soon. :)**

**Keep reading! Oh, and there is a little McHastings in this one (more coming soon).**

**And once again, thank you to my beta **_**shipalllltheships**_**, she's awesome.**

_**Tns729**_**: thank you for reading!**

_**jhas**_**: I like that you're curious about this :). I thought it would be interesting to add Shana in the mix, and of course, Alison is in the picture (she's always around anyway, as we all know...!).**

_**paily2001**_**: thank you very much!**

_**siophiefandom**_**: thank you! Yes Paige's only got two weeks to help Emily, but we all know she's amazing ;)**

_**summersantos2009**_**: thanks! The translation part is difficult but I enjoy it more and more! (and I'm getting faster, if not better).**

**Chapter 4**

Her headphones on, Paige McCullers was jogging through the streets of Rosewood. She had only been there for a few days, but the small Pennsylvania town already looked familiar. The neighborhood around the Fields' house was much more residential than her own district in Oakland. Here in Rosewood, the houses were pretty, with well-kept gardens. Everything looked spotless. The locals seemed to be a little wary though, especially of strangers. Her friend Shana had already told her she found the people here were "really less cool than in California".

Paige hadn't answered. Shana had an opinion on everything, and everyone; she was quick to judge, and even to decide for others. One of the many reasons why she and Paige had broken up, months ago.

Shaking her head, Paige forced herself to focus on her breathing. She did not want to think about Shana and their stormy relationship. She wanted to move forwards; her future was all mapped out. Stanford University had already promised her a full scholarship. Her long-time dream. All she had to do was keep improving her times in the pool.

Slowing her pace, Paige looked around and realized she wasn't far away from the Fields' house. She knew Emily was at work, and Pam Fields was spending the day in Philadelphia. She did not want to go home to an empty house, so she stopped and looked around her hesitantly. There was not much to do. No shops in this streets, no places to hang out.

Suddenly, she heard loud voices coming from the house across the street. A door slammed shut and Paige saw someone storming off the porch, passing straight ahead. It was an older girl, dressed in a very fancy navy blue dress, with a vanity case in her hands. The girl climbed in a black sports car, slamming the door and hitting the wheel with both hands. She looked really pissed off.

The front door's house opened again, and Paige saw a younger girl, with a frame and long brown hair. She was one of Emily's friends, and a member of Alison's "posse", Paige realized. She stepped back, not wanting to interfere. But the other girls hadn't even seemed to notice her.

"Melissa!" the younger girl shouted. "I swear! I didn't copy your assignment about the Russian revolution! Why wouldn't you listen to me?" She knocked on the car's window, but the vehicle pulled out with a squeal of tires. The slim and brown-haired girl let out a exasperated sigh, and raised her arms in the air. Paige couldn't help but smile.

The other teenager seemed to acknowledge Paige's presence then. Her brows furrowed and she stared at the Californian, eyeing her from head to toe. Paige, feeling embarrassed under the girl's inquisitive stare, tried a half-smile.

"Um... Hi," she said. "I was just passing by." Which was really lame, she realized. But Emily's friend was a little intimidating, to say the least.

Paige felt her cheeks redden, and looked down. Against all odds, the brown-haired girl burst out laughing. "Well, I hope it was worth it. You just saw a typical Hastings sisters' scene. Though, our animosity is usually... more subtle."

Paige smiled. "Your sister, really?"

"Yes. But really, nothing unusual between us." The girl obviously tried to play it cool, but Paige could tell that she was a bit shaken.

Not knowing what to add, she held out a hand. "Paige McCullers", she simply stated.

"I know," the other girl said while shaking her hand. "You're Emily's roommate. The swimmer from California."

"Um, yes," Paige answered. She was really surprised to hear that Emily had told her friends about her.

"I'm Spencer. Spencer Hastings. But I assume Emily told you?"

"Well, no," Paige said. "Emily and I... we don't talk a lot," she added hesitantly.

Spencer frowned. "Really? Why? You two have something big in common."

Paige looked at her, puzzled.

"Swimming!" Spencer said loudly, as if she was talking to a five-year-old.

"Oh yes, of course," Paige said with a small laugh. She could feel the girl's eyes boring into her.

"Well," Spencer finally said curtly, "I have to go. I have this assignment to write... the one my sister thinks I stole from her. As if Melissa Hastings has got a copyright on the Russian revolution. Sisters, from goodness' sake..."

"I don't really know," Paige said. "I'm an only child."

Spencer raised a brow. "Really? You're lucky. And you have another thing in common with Emily," she added with a quirked smile.

She waved at Paige and turned back to her house. Paige was about to start running again when she heard Spencer calling her from the porch. "Paige!" the younger Hastings shouted. "Emily is working at the Brew, if you want to go there."

Paige couldn't help but smile. Before closing her front door, Spencer winked at her.

* * *

Emily was ending her shift at the Brew when she saw a familiar figure enter the cafe. Paige looked a little sweaty, and had her hair up in a messy ponytail. She waved at Emily and headed to the bar. She seemed, as always, totally comfortable and friendly. Emily, a coffee pot in hand, stared coldly at her.

"Hey," Paige said simply.

"Hey," Emily answered reluctantly.

"Your shift ends soon, right?" Paige asked, oblivious to the poor reception.

"Why?" Emily asked defiantly.

Paige shrugged and climbed on a barstool. "Can you at least get me something to drink? I'm really thirsty," she said with a disarming smile. Emily poured her a glass of water without even asking if the girl wanted something else. Paige drank her glass in one gulp, her eyes still on Emily. The other girl turned back and started moving towards the kitchen.

"Emily!" Paige called. "Do... do you want to go running with me?"

Startled, Emily turned back to stare at her roommate. The young Californian was still smiling, but seemed now rather uncomfortable.

"What makes you think I would like to run with you? Do you really think I've got nothing better to do?" Emily snapped.

Paige winced. Her body tensed and she moved back on her seat. She wasn't smiling anymore. She opened her mouth to take a deep breath, and said after a second, "I don't know if you want to, but I sure know you _need_ to. Considering your times in the pool." She then stood up and rushed out of the cafe. Emily stared after her, mouth agape.

* * *

An hour later, a rather ashamed Emily sneaked into her room. Paige was on her bed, headphones on her ears, her nose buried in a book. She didn't event lift her eyes when Emily came in. The Rosewood teen went straight to the bathroom, and, after closing the door, put her head in her hands. After a few seconds, she sprayed cold water on her face, and stared at her own reflection in the mirror. She had a bad headache. Emily knew why: she wasn't feeling well because she was unhappy with herself. She had always been a friendly girl, open-minded and compassionate. Something had changed. She wasn't feeling like herself anymore.

After a few minutes, Emily came back into the room, noticing that Paige hadn't moved. She sat at her desk, intending to work on her chemistry assignment. But she couldn't focus on her homework. She was _feeling_ Paige's presence in the room, and the growing hostility between them. This had to stop. She closed her chem book, and turned to face the girl.

Paige looked up from her book, and removed her earphones. The two girls stared at each other for a while. Paige wasn't wearing her usual smile, but she didn't seem angry either. Her expression was unreadable, as if she was waiting for Emily to speak.

The Rosewood girl took a deep breath, and said, "I know I was rude to you at the Brew. I even was... rather obnoxious."

Paige gave her a half smile. "You weren't obnoxious."

"Well then, let's say... not very welcoming."

"I've known better, I agree," Paige said. She saw Emily look down and she added quickly, "Emily, I understand it's not easy for you to have someone invading your personal space. Especially because it wasn't me you were supposed to host. I mean, not only earlier at the Brew. But here, in your home."

Emily looked at the other girl, surprised, before realizing Paige was referring to the student who was supposed to stay at the Fields' house in the first place. She shrugged. "You or someone else..."

"Oh, thanks!" Paige said ironically.

"No, I mean... whatever, that's not the point." Emily mumbled. She was feeling tired and confused.

"Emily," Paige said in a kind but firm voice. "I don't know what the problem is, but if we have to share a room for two weeks - and we do have to - we'd better get along, don't you think?"

Emily didn't answer. She knew that Paige was right. If only things could be that simple.

She lay back on her bed, her arms crossed. She closed her eyes. Her mind was racing. She sighed and finally said, her eyes still shut, "I'm sorry for earlier. But I wasn't expecting to see you at the Brew."

"I guess so," Paige simply said. Her tone was friendly. Emily opened her eyes and looked at her roommate. Paige had her hair undone, and her eyes were sparkling again. Which suited her very well, Emily couldn't help but notice. The Rosewood teen averted her eyes.

Paige sighed. "Emily...I wasn't very kind to you, too. Those things I said, about your training times... it was mean. And wrong. Your times aren't so bad, and... and it's none of my business anyway," she added with a wince.

The brunette nodded. She was moved by Paige's openness, and confused too.

"Why are you always like this?" she finally said.

"Like this how?" asked the Californian.

"Always...I don't know. Cool, and kind, and everything. It's... exhausting."

Paige burst out laughing. "Really? That's what you think? Well, I can tell you I can be grumpy sometimes. Especially when I'm woken up at 4am!"

She was referring to the previous night. But she was smiling, and Emily smiled too, and then blushed. She was blushing a lot lately.

A comfortable silence settled over the two girls. Paige had resumed her reading, but didn't put her headphones back on. Emily remained on her bed, staring at the ceiling. For the first time in days, she felt calm. Sneaking out of the house to join Taylor and Moira wasn't even tempting anymore.

Emily's phone rang suddenly, startling the two teenagers. Emily grabbed her phone, and when she saw the name on the screen, she felt her heart begin to race. Alison. She hadn't heard from the blonde girl since the day before at school.

"Em, honey," said Ali's confident voice. "Don't tell me you're at home on a Saturday night in front of the TV, or worse, reading. It's _so_ depressing. Come over to my place, but please, don't tell Spencer or the others. Tonight, it's just you and me, okay?" she added in a seductive voice.

Emily closed her eyes. She could feel her will weakening. She wanted to see Ali, of course -she _always_ wanted to see her - but she didn't like the way Alison always took her for granted. Emily could have had other plans. Other desires.

Emily looked at Paige, who seemed engrossed in her book, so much so that her brows were furrowed in concentration. _Her face is really perfect_, Emily suddenly thought. _That nose, those lips..._

"Em!" said Alison impatiently. "Are you sleeping? Change into something cool and sexy and come over, okay? My father will lend us his car. We can even go to Philly if we want to."

"I'm coming around," Emily answered out of habit.

She hung up the phone, a glazed expression on her face, her heart and thoughts conflicted again.


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Chapter 5 already, guys! I'm on a roll, and my betareader seems to be too, so be prepared for updates sooner than later. Thank you so much for the PM and reviews...**

_**Guest1**_**: ****;)**

_**Guest2**_**: Well, this is chapter 5, I hope you'll like it too!**

_**xLix**_**: You're damn right. It's Paige freaking McCullers, for god's sake! ;) Emily will wake up soon, I promise. But not just yet. It's funnier that way (what, no? You'll see). **

_**jhas**_**: Yeah, I know, right? I'm frustrated with Emily too ;) I often have the same feeling while watching the show (especially in seasons 4B/5A). Don't get me wrong, I love her, but sometimes... GRRRR. Oh, and more McHastings friendship to come, definitely. I love McHastings.**

_**Guest3**_**: Well, prepare to hate her more, because there is more Alison's shenanigans to come... you know how she can be.**

_**shipalllllltheships**_**: Hey, hi! :) I'm glad you liked this chapter. Yes, they are getting along a little better now. Hope it will last. ;)**

_**SouthernStateOfMind**_**: Thanks for the compliment! I don't like Alison at all, but she is an interesting character. Originally, I didn't plan to include her in this story, but well, she kinda imposed herself there (damn, she's good!...) ;)**

**Chapter 5**

Emily and Alison's night out in Philadelphia went surprisingly well. The weather was lovely and there was something special in the air, like a taste of Indian summer. The girls had dinner in a small French restaurant, outside on a flower-covered patio.

Alison was witty and charming, which happened when she was not trying to impress somebody or to measure up to Spencer. Usually, when she was out with her high school friends (or with Emily alone, which seldom happened - but Emily was the only one to have Ali 'all to herself' once in a while), the blonde girl showed two faces. She could be extremely friendly, and then suddenly, with a single sharp comment, she could destroy you. She had that power.

This evening at the restaurant, Alison, whose eyes were sparkling, listened to Emily without interrupting her or looking bored, and even held Emily's hand under the table for a little while (Emily, her cheeks burning, looked around, but nobody was paying attention). And the blonde, blue-eyed girl insisted on paying the check.

Emily felt happy and cherished. She knew that she shouldn't get her hopes up. This meant nothing to Ali - or, at least, not the way it mattered to her. It was _Ali_, after all. Emily knew that the next day, Alison would probably ignore her and the other girls as well. The blonde was probably going to spend all her evenings with CeCe Drake and her college friends.

The two girls got back to Rosewood a little after 11.30PM. Emily had promised her mother she'd be back home before midnight. Alison had no curfew; her parents were rather lax, according to her.

As they were driving past the Brew, Alison suddenly slowed down. Emily looked at her, surprised. The blonde girl, her brows furrowed, pointed to two silhouettes who were standing outside, in front of the cafe.

Emily turned her head and, to her surprise, saw Paige and Shana. Her roommate hadn't told her that she was going out tonight. Not that she had to; they still weren't talking very much, even if the atmosphere between theam was friendlier now.

The two California girls seemed to be having a pretty heated conversation. The tall black girl even looked a little upset. Emily saw her grabbing Paige's arm, trying to pull the paler girl closer to her. Paige wrenched her arm away and moved back.

Alison let out a small whistle, and stopped the car, which was now directly across the street from the Brew. Emily looked at her friend, annoyed.

"What are you doing?"

"Isn't it that girl who's staying at your place? That... McSomething..." Alison said with disdain.

"McCullers," Emily said. "Yes, that's her. But..."

"What?"

"It's none of our business," Emily objected. Alison raised a brow. "I mean," Emily quickly added. "We shouldn't stay here."

In response, Alison lowered her window and turned her head to watch the scene. Emily felt her heart racing. She was very uncomfortable. They had shared a nice evening so far, but it appeared that now the honeymoon was over. When Alison was acting like this, there was nothing to be done but to go along with it.

Emily looked straight ahead and said between her teeth, "Let's go, Alison. Please. I have to get home."

"Oh, please, Em," Alison said in an exasperated tone. "Pam won't spank you if you're a little late, and it's not curfew time yet, Cinderella."

The blonde girl turned back to watch Paige and Shana. She couldn't really hear their conversation, but she knew a thing or two about lip-reading. She had lots of practises; she loved to spy on people.

"It's interesting," she said after a while.

Emily, who was still mortified after her friend's last remark, didn't answer.

"It's interesting," Alison said again, this time looking intently at Emily. The raven-haired girl shrugged. Alison's eyes focused on Emily, a half-smile on her lips. She said, "It's not a simple argument. It's a lover's quarrel."

Emily, startled, felt her cheeks burning. She couldn't help but stare at the two girls on the other side of the street. "What are you talking about?" she stammered.

"I'm saying that your new roommate, McSomething, and this cocky black girl, are a couple. Or were, because there's definitely trouble in paradise."

Alison, pleased with herself, gazed at Emily, not missing her discomfort, and landed her final blow. "Do Daddy and Mommy Fields know that their beloved daughter is sharing a room with a lesbian?"

Emily looked like she had been slapped. "This is bullshit. Paige isn't... I'm not..." she stammered.

Alison's smile softened, and her fingers grazed Emily's cheek. "Come on, Em," she said in a smooth voice. "I know who you are. And you don't have to be ashamed of yourself, darling."

Emily, her face bright red, swatted Alison's hand aside, and backed off. Alison's eyes turned icy. She seemed close to speaking, but finally shrugged and restarted the engine. Outside the cafe, the two California girls were still talking, oblivious to the little drama on the other side of the street.

Alison drove Emily home. During the short ride from the Brew to the Field's house, neither girl had spoken a single word. The atmosphere was tense in the car. Emily got out of the vehicle, slammed the door, and headed to the front porch without looking behind her. She was really upset, and not just because of what Alison had said but also because of, strangely enough, Paige and Shana's supposed argument. _That's stupid_, she tried to persuade herself. _This girl means nothing to me. She's not even my friend._

"Emily!" Alison said loudly, just as Emily was about to enter the house. Emily sighed and turned back. Alison was staring at her from the car, her 'only for Emily Field' smile plastered on her face. The tall raven-haired girl felt her anger falter. _Why the hell does she have this power over me?_

"Emily," Alison said more softly. "I just want to protect you. Please tell me if this girl... tries something. You know what I mean." She started the engine and pulled out of the driveway without waiting for an answer from Emily.

Once inside the house, Emily tiptoed to her room. She wasn't in the mood to talk to anyone, especially to her mother, who was probably going go ask about her evening out.

Back in her room, she let out a deep sigh. She felt both frustrated and exasperated. Once again, her date with Alison (something she had been longing for and dreading at the same time) had ended on a bitter note. What Ali had said - and also, what she _hadn't _said - was stuck in Emily's head.

And there was _this_ \- Paige, outside the Brew, arguing with Shana. _Paige and Shana_, Emily muttered. She felt strangely troubled. Despite Alison's assumptions, there was no proof these two were - or had been - an item. _And so what? _Emily thought_. What do I care? _But there was this strange feeling growing inside her - maybe it was disappointment, or envy, or something else. She didn't want to go there. Not at all. She couldn't let herself go there.

She tossed her bag without thinking. The bag landed on Paige's bed, amid the mess the California girl had left there. Some stuff fell down, and Emily rushed to pick it up. Grumbling, she started to clean the mess, folding Paige's clothes and tossing aside some books. Paige was obviously a science-fiction addict, judging by the books' titles. Emily stored some pens in an old pencil case, which Paige had probably owned since elementary school.

She smoothed the bed sheets and the pillow, and picked up the bedspread Paige had carelessly left on the floor. A plastic bag fell out of it, and Emily bent over to pick it up. She couldn't help but look inside, and what she saw shocked her. The bag was full of medicine bottles, with colored pills in them.

Emily, intrigued, picked up one of the bottles and looked closely at it. The label was unreadable. Emily's mind was racing. Was Paige ill? Or was she... into drugs?

Suddenly, she heard the front door slamming downstairs and she jumped. She put the plastic bag back on Paige's bed, and quickly threw the bedspread on top of it. She could hear voices chattering downstairs. Her roommate and her mother were chatting, and Emily soon heard some familiar noises coming from the kitchen. Pam Fields had probably offered Paige a snack or something. She always made hot milk for Emily when her daughter stayed out late. She could be _so _motherly, Emily thought with annoyance.

She went into the bathroom and undressed quickly, pulling on her pajamas. She wasn't ready to face Paige, and she wanted to be in bed before the other girl came in, even if she was faking sleep.

She had just turned the lights off when the door opened, and Paige snuck inside. Emily was under the covers, facing the wall. The raven-haired girl was trying to breathe slowly, as if she was sleeping, but her heart was hammering. The room was dark, only lit by the moonlight streaming through the window.

She heard Paige tiptoeing to her bed, obviously trying to be quiet. Emily imagined the look of astonishment on her roommate's face when Paige realized her bed was made and her belongings were neatly organized.

* * *

"Maybe she's a drug addict!" Hanna burst out. Her eyes were shining with excitement. Spencer rolled her eyes.

"Or..." Hanna said, looking even more excited. "Or, all the stuff you found, Emily, those pills, it's to swim faster! To win her races!"

"You're talking about doping?" Spencer asked suspiciously.

"That's it! Doping!" Hanna shouted. The bubbly blonde was clearly proud of herselft, like she had solved a big mystery.

"Wait," she added. "If she was doping, she should have really big muscles, and a low voice, and, like, some facial hair, right?"

Emily and Aria were staring at their friend, dumbfounded. Spencer shook her head. "Thank you for your enlightened opinion on doping, Dr. Marin," she said in a wry tone.

Hanna looked heavily at her. "I'm just trying to find an explanation, Spencer."

"I don't think... I mean, Paige doesn't look like a cheater," Aria said in her soft voice.

She looked at Emily, who lowered her head without responding. The raven-haired beauty had had a poor night's sleep, having tossed and turned almost all night. She had been late to school this morning (she was relieved not having to face Paige, who had gotten up at dawn to go running) and she hadn't had the time to talk to her friends before lunch. She was reluctant to confess that she was asking herself the same questions as Hanna. Well, except for Paige's physical appearance.

"You should talk to her, Em," Spencer said. "Tell her that you... um_, found _these pills, and ask her about it."

"What pills?" Alison asked, startling the four friends. Alison DiLaurentis dropped her tray on the table, and sat between Emily and Hanna.

"Emily found some weird stuff in Paige's bag, and we think she's into drugs, you know, of the doping kind" Hanna said.

"Hanna!" Emily and Aria gasped at the same time.

"_We _don't think anything like this," Spencer quickly added. "_Hanna_ is making stupid assumptions."

Hanna looked offended, and Alison just smiled cryptically.

"Really," she said after a pause. "That's interesting."

Emily looked up and stared at her friend. Ali has used the exact same word last night while watching Paige and Shana arguing outside the Brew.

Alison had her 'Mona Lisa' smile on, as Spencer liked to call it: an unreadable and distant smile. Emily knew it meant trouble.


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Hi guys! Thank you for reading. This is chapter 6. **

**Warning: Ali is striking again. Yes, I know. But don't worry... Some McHastings and Paily bonding are on the way. ;)**

_**jhas: **_**Thank you so much for your review! I'm so glad you like it. So about Emily: in this story, she's out to her friends, but not to the world, and especially not to her parents. And the Ali/Em relationship... I wanted it to be unclear, like in the show. Who really knows what's happening or not between them? Only the two of them, I guess. But yes, Alison is definitely a troubled person (and that's a kind way to put it). About Paige and Shana, and the mysterious pills, you will find out soon. Stay tuned ;)**

_**xLix: **_**We all know how Alison can be, but don't worry too much, Paige will handle it. With a little help from her friends. And about Emily... yes she's acting stupid, for now, mainly because she's feeling insecure and angry against herself. Be patient with her. ;)**

_**Guest1**_**: Thank you!**

_**Guest2**_**: Yeah, I know, right? Why can't she do that? ;)**

_**SouthernStateOfMind**_**: Thank you for the compliment. I'm not sure I deserve it. There are so many talented writers here (including you!) and amazing stories. I try to do my best and I hope that the translation doesn't alter the story too much. About Ali... I totally know what you mean! :)**

**Chapter 6**

As soon as she entered the locker room, Emily Fields could tell that something was different. The girls seemed really excited, which wasn't unusual before an important practice, but there was something else. Emily saw some of her teammates whispering as they glanced her way. The Oakland team was gathered in a corner and Emily noticed that the co-captain, Shana, was surrounded by her teammates who seemed to try to calm her down. One of the girls even had her arm around the tall black girl's shoulders. Paige was nowhere in sight, and Emily felt a knot forming in her stomach.

Emily and Shana made eye contact and the Rosewood teen was taken aback by the anger on the other girl's face. The Californian swimmer took a step towards Emily, but her teammates quickly grabbed her and pulled her out of the room.

Emily leaned against her locker, her breath short. _Paige. Something happened to Paige_. She didn't know why, but it was the only thing she could think of.

She closed her eyes and tried to focus on her breathing. She felt a hand on her shoulder, and opened her eyes. Sydney, one of her teammates, was looking at her with sympathetic eyes.

"Emily? You okay?" the younger swimmer asked.

"Yes..." Emily answered. "What... what's going on, Sydney?"

"You don't know yet?" Sydney said excitedly. "Paige McCullers is banned from training, and maybe from her team!"

_Oh god_, Emily thought. She had an idea of what had happened, but she needed to ask Sydney to be sure.

"Why? What did she do, exactly?" she asked in a weak voice.

"She is using dope," Sydney said. "Don't you get it, Em? That's why her times were so impressive. This girl is a cheater."

"I... I need to go," Emily stammered. "Syd, do you know where Coach Fulton is?"

"I think she's in her office, with the Oakland coach. They're probably talking about Paige," Sydney answered with excitement.

Emily rushed out and almost ran into another one of her teammates on her way. She didn't bother to excuse herself. She needed to talk to Fulton, now. The coach's door was closed, but Emily could see the two women talking through the window. The Oakland coach looked rather upset.

Emily's heart was pounding in her chest. She knocked quietly at the door, and the two women turned their heads to look at her. Fulton waved for her swimmer to enter.

Emily slipped into the office, her eyes down.

"Fields!" Fulton spoke in a gruff voice. "We wanted to see you."

Emily looked at her coach. Fulton had always been kind to her. Emily knew she could count on her. She was a demanding coach, but she was always fair.

"Do you know what's going on, Emily?" the Oakland coach asked. She was staring at Emily, but her eyes weren't unfriendly, just curious.

"I'm... I'm not sure," the teenager answered.

"Emily, let's talk straight." Fulton said. "Your roommate, Paige McCullers, is under suspicion of doping. Someone reported her. We don't know yet if it's true, but in Rosewood we have a zero-tolerance policy to doping or using drugs. You know that. And it's the same in Oakland, of course."

The Californian coach nodded. Her eyes were still focused on Emily.

"Paige gave us her side of the story, and we have to check some things. For now, she is banned from training. Until we can clear her...or not."

Emily nodded, a lump in her throat. She couldn't help but feel terribly guilty. She was close to tears, and the fact that the Oakland coach was still watching her intently wasn't helping.

"Emily," the Californian women asked softly, "Do you have something to tell us? Do you know anything about this anonymous letter?"

Her tone wasn't accusing, but Emily stiffened. _An anonymous letter_, she thought. _Of course._

"I have nothing to do with this," she replied, more defensively than she intended. "I didn't report Paige. I know nothing about all that. We... we hardly talk anyway."

She regretted her words as soon as they left her mouth. _Really nice, Fields. So classy._

Fulton frowned. "Really?" she asked suspiciously. "You've been sharing a house for a few days now, I'm disappointed to learn that you two don't get along. We hoped your sporting rivalry would be good for the team. I guess we were wrong."

Emily didn't answer. She felt mortified.

"So," her coach added, looking more and more upset. "We've lost enough time already. Get back to the locker room, Emily, and get ready to swim. There's a lot to do."

Emily had no choice but obey her coach. She wasn't in the mood for training - it was even worse than the past weeks. She only had one thing in mind. _I've got to find Paige, as soon as possible._

* * *

The practice went really badly for Emily. The raven-haired teenager was feeling horrible and her times were far from her best. And there was definitely a weird vibe around the pool. The Oakland swimmers were huddling together and shooting infuriated glances at the Rosewood team, especially at Emily. Strangely, Shana wasn't the most aggressive. She had obviously chosen to ignore Emily. She didn't glance at her even once during all of practice.

The coaches seemed tense too. They had told their teams that there was a change of plans; at first they were supposed to have mixed teams for the relays (with some Rosewood girls swimming with some Oakland swimmers), but they had decided that it was for the best to have each team focus on their own training.

At the end of practice, Emily got out the pool quickly and made a beeline for the locker room. She showered and got dressed in record time. She managed to avoid both Sydney (who was being talkative as usual) and Fulton, and sneaked into the hallway.

She had barely taken a step when she felt someone grabbing her and pulling her back against the wall. She gasped, her breath short. Shana's face was close to hers.

The tall black girl whispered in Emily's ear: "Are you happy, Fields? Did you get what you wanted?"

"I'm…I'm sorry," Emily said weakly. "I...I need to talk to Paige." She winced - Shana was really strong, and she was grasping Emily's shoulders tightly.

The other girl let out a wry laugh. "Talk to her? But to tell her what? The damage is done. And that was the problem in the first place - _someone_ talked too much, and worse, without knowing anything."

"I know," Emily said sheepishly. "I never wanted that. You have to believe me, Shana. I never wanted to hurt Paige." She was feeling close to tears. "I blame myself, and I'll do anything I can to repair the damage," she added in a small voice.

Shana frowned, looking surprised. Emily was obviously being sincere. The Californian swimmer released her grip on the other girl, and took a step back. Her mind was racing, her eyes still focused on the raven-haired beauty.

"Okay," she said after a while. "I don't know what happened between you two, but you really should talk to her. _And _apologize to her."

"I will," Emily said quickly. "Do you know where she is right now?"

Shana shrugged. "Last time I saw her, she was planning to hide in the library. Last place where you'd be looking for a athlete," she added with a wry but also sad smile. Her anger seemed to have disappeared, and that's when Emily realized, startled, that Shana, despite her badass attitude, really cared for Paige.

* * *

Emily found Paige in the back of the library, which was usually deserted by the Rosewood students; it was the foreign books section.

The Californian girl was sitting on the floor, her back against the bookshelves, bag on her knees. She was staring blankly ahead.

She startled when Emily sat beside her, and looked away, making a move to get up. Emily grabbed Paige's arm, forcing her to stay on the floor.

"Paige," Emily begged. "I'm...I'm so sorry, for what happened. Please, you have to believe me. I never wanted anything like this to happen."

"Really?" Paige said bitterly. "I don't really know what to think, Emily."

"If you would let me explain..."

"Explain what?" Paige said, cutting her off. "You're going to say you had nothing to do with it? That you didn't search my bag, and instead of talking to me, instead of _asking me_, you didn't tell the coach...or anyone else...?"

Emily looked down without answering.

Paige took her head in her hands. She let out a frustrated sigh.

Emily felt helpless. And also guilty, of course. "You're right," she said at last.

Paige slowly raised her head and stared at Emily. Her big brown eyes were full of resentment, and of something else. Disappointment, Emily realized.

"So... it was you? You reported me to Coach?" Paige asked in a faint voice.

"No, no!" Emily answered quickly. "But I...I told someone about what I found in your bag. It was stupid. I shouldn't have, I know, but..."

"Who did you tell about it?" Paige said in a sharp tone. "Your friends? Your famous bunch of 'it girls' or whatever? Or was it...Alison Di Laurentis?"

Emily blushed furiously, and looked away. Paige was staring at her.

The Californian swimmer shook her head, dumbfounded.

"It's her, of course," Paige said after a while. "Of course. It was a piece of cake for her. You gave her the perfect opportunity."

"How can you say that?" Emily burst out. "You don't even know her!" She didn't really know why she was still protecting Alison.

"I know enough," Paige said gloomily.

The Californian got up and grabbed her sports bag.

"I will stop by your place later, I have a few things to pick up," she said without even looking at Emily. "I'm gonna spend the night at Spencer's."

"Wait, Spencer?" Emily exclaimed. "_My _Spencer? Spencer Hastings?"

Paige shrugged, and answered coldly, "Yes, that Spencer. She offered to let me stay at her place. I didn't think you'd mind. Unless you _also _don't want me to befriend your friends."

Emily, feeling hurt, didn't bother to answer. She looked at the Californian, who was walking away, her shoulders drooping, her pace slow, far from the cheery girl she usually was.

_How did things get so bad? _Emily asked herself in despair.

* * *

That evening, Emily had a sandwich in her room instead of having dinner with her mom, using the excuse of a bad headache and a lot of homework. Pam Fields seemed disappointed, but didn't comment.

Paige had stopped by earlier to pick up what she needed for her stay over at Spencer's. She had told Emily's mother that she was working on a report with Spencer and it was more convenient to stay there.

It was a plausible explanation, though the Oakland students were only taking a few courses during their stay in Rosewood High. Anyway, Pam didn't ask any questions. Emily had made a point to avoid Paige, staying in the living room while she was packing upstairs.

Emily had problems focusing on her homework; her head was elsewhere. She was planning to wait for her mother to go to bed so that she could sneak out of the house. She killed some time by reading a few magazines and listening to music on her iPod, but she was on edge.

Once Pam was in her room, Emily waited for several minutes, wanting to be sure that her mother was asleep (she had been taking sleeping pills since her husband in the Army had been sent abroad). Then the teenage girl sneaked out, leaving the window open as usual.

Fifteen minutes later, she joined her friends behind the bleachers of the football stadium.

Taylor and Moira were there, as she had expected, but there was also a boy whose name she didn't know but who sometimes hung out with the two girls. At their feet stood a six-pack of beers and several bottles of alcohol, one of them almost empty.

Emily wasn't asking for more. She wasn't here to talk, or to listen to somebody. The other teens waved at Emily, who gave them a nod and a small smile.

She sat on the hard ground, next to Moira, and took the joint the girl handed to her. She took a puff, inhaling deeply. She leaned back against the wall and closed her eyes.


	7. Chapter 7

** A/N: Hi everybody! I hope you're still reading (and enjoying) the story. I know things have been tensed between Emily and Paige, and not only because of Alison. But it will get better... soon. **

**This chapter was fun to write. I'm a little hard on Emily maybe, but I guess I had to make her hit rock bottom... before she comes to her senses.**

**And you McHastings shippers, you will probably like this chapter ;)**

_**Guest1**_**: I'm glad you do! :)**

_**Guest 2**_**: yes, and very soon. I promise.**

_**jhas**_**: no Ali in this chapter. ;) She'll come back later, unfortunately. About Emily - I guess she is conflicted about her feelings for Alison - and maybe for Paige, even if she doesn't realize it now. So that's why she's acting stupid sometimes.**

_**SouthernStateOfMind:**_** thanks :) :) :) Glad to know that you're enjoying the story. I try to do my best with the translation. And I'm rather satisfied with the result right now (THANK YOU to my betareader who's here to correct the stupid mistakes I still make!)**

**Chapter 7**

Paige and Spencer spent their evening at the Hastings', as planned, but since they had no exposé to work on, the two teenagers used the time to talk.

They discovered that they had a lot in common. They shared a competitive nature, both at school and on the sports fields. Spencer was very impressed to learn that Paige was in line to receive a full scholarship to Stanford University, not only because of her swimming, but also because of her excellent academic results.

They talked about their options for the next year, which would be their freshman year at University. Spencer had a very good chance of being admitted to several of the Ivy League universities; her parents wanted her to go to UPenn, where they had both studied.

Parental pressure was another thing they had in common. Especially from their respective fathers. The younger Hastings also had to endure the comparison to her sister Melissa, who seemed to be the perfect daughter and a very bright student.

Paige, at least, was lucky enough to have her mother's support; the woman was always trying to soften things between her daughter and her husband, who was very proud of his only child but was also very demanding.

Spencer was happy to confide in Paige. With her usual group of friends, she took on the role of the leader, the strong one, and even though she enjoyed it, it was hard to deal with sometimes. So it was a relief to be able to talk to someone about her doubts, and even about her fears. Paige was very easy to talk to; she was listening without judging and she seemed to understand Spencer completely.

The two girls didn't talk about Emily or about what had happened earlier in the day: the doping accusation Paige had to face. Spencer knew it was a touchy subject, and she could easily guess that Paige was really upset, even if the other girl was trying to hide it.

When the Californian girl had showed up earlier, Spencer had immediately noticed her red eyes. Paige had obviously been crying. The Rosewood teen had welcomed her warmly, and Paige had eventually relaxed.

After setting her up in the guest room, Spencer had showed her the house. Paige was hugely impressed by all the expensive sport equipments they owned. Spencer obviously excelled in many sports, but especially in field hockey. Paige used to play it well too, before choosing to focus on swimming.

After dinner, the two girls settled into the living room, planning to watch a movie. Spencer had an impressive DVD collection, but on this front the two girls had very different tastes. Spencer loved old, black and white movies, while Paige enjoyed comedies and action movies with super heroes. The younger Hastings teased Paige about this, even calling her a nerd. Paige wasn't offended at all; it made her laugh. She was feeling very relaxed hanging out with Spencer. The evening was a welcome break after her tough day.

The girls had the house all to themselves. Spencer parents were away for work and Melissa was spending the evening in Philadelphia.

The two high school girls finally agreed on a film, choosing to watch a classic 80's movie: "The Breakfast Club". Spencer and Paige sat on the couch with cans of soda and a bowl of popcorn on the coffee table. They enjoyed the movie in a comfortable silence, just sharing a few comments about the plot and the characters. The two girls both shared a sharp mind and a witty sense of humor. They were already acting like longtime friends.

The movie was almost over when they heard some noise coming from the outside, as if something heavy had fallen on the ground or was being moved.

A worried Spencer rushed outside, with Paige right on her heels. They stopped dead in their tracks when they saw what caused the noise. Emily was there on the porch, staggering and visibly trying to right a big flowerpot. She had probably collided with it.

"Spencer!" Emily said loudly, pointing her finger at her friend.

"Spence...Spencer! You traitor!" she was almost screaming.

Spencer just raised her eyebrows, arms crossed tightly on her chest. Emily was obviously drunk. Paige was standing behind her, looking uncomfortable.

Emily suddenly seemed to notice the other girl, and walked right to her. She then hit Paige on her shoulder. It was more playful than violent, but it took Paige by surprise and made the auburn-haired girl to step back.

"Hey!" Spencer said in a warning tone. She wasn't enjoying the situation. "Calm down, Em!" The thin brunette exchanged a worried look with Paige, and grabbed Emily's left arm, wanting to bring her into the house. But Emily pushed her away.

"You! You..." she shouted right at Paige, her voice heavy with anger. The Californian teen was unsettled but she couldn't help but notice how beautiful Emily looked with her messy hair and her shiny brown eyes, even if the girl was drunk and furious.

"You! Paige McCullers! You friend stealer!" Emily shouted.

Spencer grinded her teeth. Emily was being really loud and Spencer didn't want her to wakeup the neighborhood. The Hastings house was set back from the street, but was close to the DiLaurentis' house.

"You're drunk, Emily" she said dryly. "Come inside with me, and leave Paige alone."

Against all odds, Emily followed her childhood friend into the house. Spencer looked back at Paige, who had her head dipped and now seemed to be reluctant to come back inside.

"Paige!" Spencer said. "You coming? I really need you... Drunk Emily is a handful, believe me."

The California girl nodded and followed the two other girls in the living room. She helped Spencer get Emily on the couch. Paige felt uneasy and worried. Emily was now half laughing, half gasping for breath.

"I guess she smoked some pot too" Spencer said, her tone neutral.

She was visibly trying to remain calm and to stay in control.

"I'm going to get her a glass of water, and some coffee. Don't take your eyes off her" she told Paige.

The auburn-haired girl was staring at Emily. She couldn't help but feel sorry for her roommate. Emily had been rather unfriendly towards her, and even hostile sometimes. Paige shouldn't care about her like this. But she felt connected to the girl, unquestionably, and she also felt the need to protect her, no matter what.

Paige put a blanket on top of Emily, who was now lying on the couch. She seemed quieter, but suddenly Emily straightened and caught Paige by the arm. Paige stiffened, but Emily's face wasn't angry anymore. More pleading.

"Why... why are you so cute? It's... it's really difficult to hate you" the Rosewood swimmer stammered.

Paige was speechless. She could smell the alcohol in Emily's breath. She knew the girl wasn't herself, but she had been caught off guard by Emily's admission.

_She thinks I'm cute?_

Emily let go of Paige's arm, and the tall auburn girl threw herself back onto the couch. Spencer entered the room, carrying a tray with a glass of water, some mugs and a pot of coffee.

"How is she?" Spencer asked.

"Um... weird" Paige answered. She scratched her head, a puzzled look on her face. Spencer was looking at her carefully.

"You know," the Rosewood teen eventually said, "Emily isn't like this. I mean, she sometimes gets drunk. Especially lately. But she's an amazing girl. Everybody knows that. Besides her, that is."

"Did... did something happen to her?" Paige asked. "I mean, why is she acting like that? It seems like she's... punishing herself or something."

Spencer sighed, and held out a coffee mug to Paige. "We might need this. I'm not sure we're gonna get much sleep tonight."

The two girls sat on the coffee table, watching Emily. Her eyes were half closed, and she seemed a little calmer.

"I don't know what's going on in Emily's head," Spencer continued. "But I know she's fighting against herself".

Spencer's intense gaze was now on Paige. She had only met the Californian a few days ago, but she knew she could trust her.

"You... you know Emily is gay, right?" Spencer asked cautiously.

Paige's eyes met Spencer's. "I... I guess I figured. I saw her, with Alison. The way she looks at her..." she said softly.

"Well," Spencer said, "Emily hasn't come out yet. I mean officially, to her parents. Us, her friends, of course we know. But Emily is really afraid to disappoint her parents. Especially her mother. She's terrified to tell her."

Paige nodded in understanding. Pam Fields seemed to be a very maternal person, but rather old-fashioned. And she was fiercely protective of her daughter, probably because Emily's father wasn't around much.

"I see," she simply stated. "It's never easy."

Spencer nodded, but didn't say anything else. She was dying to ask Paige how things went for her. The California girl looked comfortable in her own skin. But Spencer Hastings was a smart girl. She knew it wasn't that simple.

And there was that thing - about the famous pills. Spencer didn't believe that Paige was using doping pills to improve her swimming skills. It was obvious the girl was honest and faithful, the opposite of a cheater.

But drugs? Could Paige be addicted to something? Spencer herself had to fight an addiction once. She had been feeling so much pressure from her parents and from school at the time, she had ended up taking some speed pills. When her parents found out, they had sent her to rehab. And that was it. They had never discussed the topic again. When you were a Hastings, you weren't supposed to be weak.

The two girls were lost in their respective thoughts, their eyes still on Emily, when the latter suddenly sat up and said in a weak voice: "I think I'm gonna be sick... Spence..."

And then she leaned forward and threw up onto the Hastings' pure wool carpet.

"Great" Spencer simply stated. "I'm gonna fetch a basin."

* * *

Two hours later, Emily had thrown up several times (thankfully into the container provided by her friend) and had had numerous cups of coffee, on Spencer's orders. She was still feeling sick, but was able to stand up and walk. So the girls decided to bring her home.

It was the solution Spencer and Paige had agreed upon, because Mrs. Fields would be alarmed to find an empty bed the next morning ("Pam will ground her til graduation," Spencer had said, only half joking.)

And Melissa Hastings, who was spending the evening in Philadephia, could come back home at any moment. "She likes to show up at the most embarrassing moments," Spencer had told Paige.

They managed to get Emily in Spencer's car, and they drove to the Field's house in silence. It was a short ride, anyway. The challenge was to get the drunken girl back into her room without waking Pam Fields up. The house was silent, and the lights were off. Spencer cursed herself for forgetting to bring a flashlight. With Paige's help, they got Emily upstairs with a minimal amount of noise. Emily looked groggy, but she didn't protest and even didn't react when once in her room, Spencer bluntly removed her jacket and her shoes.

Paige and Spencer settled Emily into her bed, adjusting the pillows under her head and covering her with a blanket. Emily had her eyes half-closed and was breathing normally now.

Spencer, her hands on her hips, was staring at her childhood friend. Her face showed mixed feelings, between anger and worry. Paige looked at her. She knew Spencer needed some reassurance.

"Spencer," she said, "I'm gonna take care of her. Everything will be fine. The worst is over."

The younger Hastings wasn't sure of that, but she gave Paige a smile.

"Okay. I'm glad you're here with her. But... what are you going to tell her mother tomorrow? You're supposed to sleep at my place."

Paige frowned. "I don't know... maybe I could tell her I had to come back here early to get my swim gear. She doesn't know that I've been banned from training."

Spencer nodded her approval. "Neat. Oh, and do you think you can manage Emily in the morning, without Pam suspecting that her precious daughter got drunk and high? I don't know how Emily will be tomorrow morning, or, I guess, _this _morning, but I'm guessing it won't be pretty."

She winked at Paige, and the California girl smiled brightly at her.

"I can handle that. Believe it or not, I have already managed...let's say, this kind of situation, more than once."

Spencer raised her eyebrows. "Bad girl, McCullers? Who would have thought?"

"You know what they say," Paige retorted, her eyes sparkling with mischief. "The quiet ones..."

"You're telling me," Spencer said. "Look at Emily. She used to be the poster kid for the perfect daughter, and now she's quite the wild child." She suppressed a yawn.

"I'm going back home. I'm exhausted. I wish you good luck, for the rest of the night. And, Paige, you can call me anytime. I'll be there in five if you need me," she added in a determined tone.

"I will," Paige simply stated. "Go home and get some sleep, Spence." It was the first time she used the other girl's nickname, and Spencer thought that she could get used to that.

Paige settled herself on the window seat, not far away Emily's bed. It was easier to watch the Rosewood swimmer from there than from her own bed.

Spencer moved back to the door, but her eyes were still on Paige. The thin brunette had a small smile on her lips.

"What?" Paige asked, frowning.

"Nothing," Spencer said quickly before adding: "You... you're sure you'll be okay? Sober Emily and Drunk Emily are two completely different people."

Paige gave her her resolve face. "I take up the gauntlet, Hastings."

Spencer's smile became wider.

"You know, McCullers, if I were gay, I would totally fall for you."

And with that, she exited the room.

Paige blushed and dipped her head, smiling. She knew it was quite the compliment, coming from Spencer Hastings.

* * *

The rest of the night was rough for Emily Fields, and consequently, for Paige McCullers. Emily had to throw up several more times, and each time had to rush from her bed to the adjacent bathroom with Paige's help.

Paige even held Emily's hair while she threw up in the toilet, and wiped her forehead with a wet face-cloth. Once Emily was back in her bed, Paige stayed on the window seat, watching Emily from there. She was exhausted, but she knew she wouldn't be able to get some rest. She had to take care of Emily, and her mind was racing too much anyway.

To Paige's relief, Emily eventually fell asleep just before dawn. Damp black hair clung to her forehead, and she was breathing loudly, her mouth half open. She was still incredibly beautiful, Paige thought, forcing herself to look away once she was sure Emily was peacefully sleeping. _You're so screwed, McCullers. You're really into her._

The sun peeking through the curtains woke Emily up. She had a severe headache, and her throat felt awfully sore. She also felt really overheated. She realized she was in her bed, almost fully clothed, with a warm blanket on her.

She turned her head and saw Paige. Her roommate was laying on the window seat, looking outside, a thoughtful look on her face.

"Paige," Emily said weakly.

The other girl, startled, looked at her.

"Hi."

"Why aren't you at Spencers'?" Emily asked.

Paige raised an eyebrow at the other girl.

"Well," she said. "I was. But there was... a slight change of plan. When _someone_ showed up."

"Oh," Emily said. "I'm sorry."

She only had a faint memory of what had happened. She vaguely remembered wanting to go to the Hastings - but for what, she didn't know anymore.

Paige shrugged. "Don't worry for that now. Try to get some more sleep, Emily."

"What about you?" the Rosewood teen asked. "Why aren't you in bed?"

"I'm fine here,"Paige answered. It was clear she had no intention of moving.

Emily closed her eyes, feeling dizzy again. She wasn't feeling well at all, and not just because of the alcohol and the pot.

"My mother..." she said suddenly.

"She doesn't know anything." Paige replied. Emily let out a sigh of relief.

* * *

Hanna Marin's car pulled into the Fields' driveway. The bubbly blonde took her cell phone, and her fingers quickly typed out a message. She smiled when she heard the distinctive sound meaning it had been delivered, and turned the radio on at full blast.

A few minutes later, Emily, her hair still damp from her quick shower, rushed into the kitchen, her school bag on her shoulder. She waved at her mother, who was making breakfast.

"Mum," she said breathlessly. "I've got to go. Hanna is waiting for me. We have this...thing to do before first period. I'll grab something to eat at school."

Pam Fields didn't even have time to respond. Emily was already gone. At least she seemed to feel better than yesterday evening, when she had gone into her room with a migraine, Mrs. Fields thought with satisfaction.

Emily opened the car door and winced when she heard the really loud music - Beyonce, she realized. Nice. But _really_ _too loud_.

"Hanna, please," she whined while sitting next to her friend. "Turn off the fucking radio."

"In a bad mood, Fields?" Hanna asked with a beaming smile. "Rough night?"

"As if you didn't know already," Emily mumbled. "Spencer probably told you everything."

"Of course she did," Hanna retorted. "Why do you think I'm here? I'm part of the 'save Emily Fields' operation," she added with a satisfied smile.

The tall raven-haired girl closed her eyes and sighed.

"I've never felt this bad. And, believe me, it was even worse last night."

"That's what I heard," Hanna said. "But you were in good hands. With Spencer 'I'm in charge' Hastings, and your knight in shining armor."

"Who?" Emily asked, startled. Hanna could be so weird sometimes.

"Paige!" Hanna said, as if she was talking to a five-year-old. "Seriously. This girl really took care of you. She must really like you. But well, you find her _so cute _yourself."

She glanced over at her friend, not missing the confusion on Emily's face.

"What?" the Rosewood swimmer stammered. "What are you talking about, Hanna?"

"Well, it's one of the many things you said, last night," Hanna said. "Spencer has really good hearing, and a good memory too."

"Oh God" Emily said, mortified. She sank lower in her seat.

Hanna was having fun.

"Please, Em, don't overreact,", she said to her friend with a mischievious smile. "It's no big deal. The booze was probably talking."

"_You're_ the one talking right now," Emily said, her teeth clenched tightly. "Okay, I was trashed. As if that's never happened to you."

"You bet," Hanna said, beaming. "You don't know the things I've said to Caleb when I was drunk. Well, according to him. I'm not sure I even said all those embarrassing things."

"I didn't..." Emily started, before closing her eyes again. The headache was becoming unbearable. She decided to stop talking for now.

The ride to the school was uneventful, the two girls staying quiet. Hanna was dying to ask Emily for details, especially about Paige. But she knew it wasn't the right time. Hanna Marin could play dumb sometimes, but she was far from stupid, and she had great intuition.

She parked her SUV in the high school parking lot. She was about to get out when Emily grabbed her by the arm.

"Hanna," Emily said. "Do you know where Alison is right now? I've got something to do."


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: Hey guys! I hope you're still reading. I guess some people are annoyed with Emily's behavior. As I said before, it will get better. Starting this chapter! :)**

_**jhas**_**: Hey, thank you, you wrote the one and only review for Chapter 7!... I'm glad you liked it. I really wanted to establish a McHastings friendship (the show really missed something there, IMHO), and writing Hanna is always fun. ;)**

**Chapter 8**

Alison DiLaurentis was checking her makeup in the senior's bathroom when she saw the door opening and someone bursting into the room. She frowned and then relaxed when she realized it was only Emily Fields. With a playful smile, she examined the girl from head to toe.

"Em, darling! You look like shit."

Emily didn't bother answering. She was busy verifying that they were really alone, checking all of the bathroom stalls one by one.

Alison shook her head, her smile widening. "Emily! If you want us to be alone, I know better places. And better moments. First period is about to start soon."

"Cut your crap, Alison!" Emily snapped.

The blonde girl stiffened. "What's going on with you?"

Emily came close to her, and Alison realized that the swimmer looked really angry. She displayed her best smile.

But Emily didn't want to be fooled again. Not anymore.

"You're pleased with yourself, Alison? After what you've done?" she asked dryly.

The blonde girl took a step forward, her eyes challenging Emily's.

"You need to be a little more specific, Fields. What are you talking about exactly?"

"The letter," Emily said. "The anonymous letter you sent, about Paige."

Alison shook her head in disbelief.

"I can't believe it. That's why you're mad? Because of that girl? Come on, Emily. It's not worth it. _She's _not worth it."

"You don't know that," Emily said loudly, feeling her anger rising. "You love hurting people, Alison, even if they haven't done anything to you. You really need that to exist?"

Alison pursed her lips and took a step forward. The two girls were now exchanging death glares. Just then, the bathroom door opened and Hanna's head popped in. "Um, guys. You'd better stop yelling. We can hear you from the hallway." Emily's eyes met Hanna's for a brief moment, and the blonde girl nodded at her friend. Hanna stepped back and closed the door. Emily had asked her to prevent anybody from coming in while she was confronting Ali.

"You should calm down, Emily. You're acting like a crazy person. I guess it's not so surprising after all. When you spend almost all your nights drinking and smoking with losers..."

Emily stared at Alison, stunned. She had been so sure nobody knew about her nighttime escapades. She was very careful to ignore Taylor and Moira during the school day, and the two other girls did the same towards her.

"You... you know about that?" she asked.

Alison shrugged. She looked at Emily with contempt as she delivered her final blow.

"_Everybody_ knows. Well, almost everybody. My poor Emily. I guess your parents are the only ones who are not aware...yet."

The threat was clear. Alison didn't need to wear a mask anymore.

Emily felt emotions rushing into her. Anger. Shame. And sadness.

"I'm not afraid of you, Alison," she said in a quiet but determined tone.

"You can tell whatever you want, to whomever you want. I don't care anymore. The important thing is that I've realized who my real friends are."

Alison's face was white with fury. "Really? And who are they, exactly? Your little gang doesn't even exist without me, Emily."

"That's where you're wrong, Ali," Emily said in a weary voice.

She was feeling exhausted and sad at the same time. She turned away and gripped the sink with her hands, trying to calm her breath.

"Alison," she said without looking at the blonde girl. "You should leave now."

Alison DiLaurentis abruptly grabbed her school bag and headed to the door. Before leaving the room, she turned back and stared at Emily, who was still facing the mirror, her head down.

"You're making a big mistake, Emily. And once you realize that, it will be too late. Don't think you can count on me in the future."

"I don't count on it." Emily said softly, more for herself than for Alison.

After a while, someone knocked on the bathroom door and she heard Hanna's worried voice. "Em, can I come in?"

"Just a minute, Hanna." Emily answered.

After splashing some cold water on her face, Emily joined Hanna outside the bathroom. The bubbly blonde looked really worried. She frowned when she saw her friend's face. Emily had obviously been crying. "Em," she whispered. "You okay?"

Emily smiled at her in an attempt to reassure the smaller girl. "I'll be fine, Han. We have to hurry; we're already late. But can we go by the lockers first?"

Hanna raised her eyebrows. "Why, did you forget one of your school books inside?"

"No," Emily said. "But I have something important to do."

Emily tore off a page from her notebook and hastily wrote a few lines.

_"Paige, we have to talk. I'm working at the Brew tonight. Can you come over around 11PM ? Please, it's really important. Emily."_

During their stay, the Oakland swimmers had been assigned temporary lockers, next to the Rosewood students' ones. Since there weren't enough available lockers for everyone, some of the California girls were sharing. Just in case, Emily wrote Paige's name in capital letters on the outside of her note. She folded the piece of paper and put it inside one of the lockers.

Hanna was dying to ask her friend what exactly she had written.

"Why don't you send her a text?" she asked Emily.

"I don't have her cell phone number." Emily replied.

"Spencer probably has it," Hanna observed.

"I guess so," Emily said. "But, Hanna, sometimes... texts are not appropriate."

"You're right," Hanna said against all odds. "And letters are so much more romantic anyway."

* * *

Emily was ending her shift at the Brew. She had started to clean up the floor, putting the chairs on top of the tables. She was feeling pretty gloomy. Paige hadn't shown up, which wasn't so surprising honestly. Who could blame her, Emily thought, even if she couldn't help but be disappointed.

She was taking off her apron when she heard someone knocking at the window. She walked to the door and looked through the blinds. Her heart started racing when she saw Paige standing behind the door. She unlocked it quickly and stepped back. Paige came in, her eyes down, her hands in her jeans pockets. The California girl was wearing a black leather jacket which suited her perfectly well, Emily noticed.

The two girls were silent.

"I wasn't sure you were gonna show up." Emily said eventually.

"...I wasn't sure myself." Paige answered.

Emily had a lot of things to say, but she decided it could wait for now.

She motioned for Paige to take a seat in a corner booth.

"What do you want to drink?"

Paige shrugged. "I don't know. A coffee maybe, or whatever you have."

Her tone was neutral, not especially unfriendly. But her head was still down, and Emily realized she would give anything to see the girl's smile.

Busying herself behind the bar, she took a mug from the sink rack and switched on the coffee machine. She made the drink and she also put a plate on the counter, something she had prepared earlier. A small smile on her lips, she put everything on a tray and brought it to Paige's table. The other girl raised her eyes, an inquisitive look on her face.

"Latte macchiato." Emily said proudly. "On the house. And this, too."

Paige couldn't help but smile when she saw the cupcake on the plate in front of her.

"What kind is it?" she asked.

Emily's smile grew wider."Coconut."

"My favorite!" Paige exclaimed. Her eyes were shining and she had a childish grin on her face.

"I know" Emily said simply.

"How?" Paige asked, her brows furrowed slightly.

"I asked Shana," Emily answered.

"You...you asked Shana?" Paige stammered, stunned. "You actually did that? Wow. Last time I saw her, she wanted to rip your eyes out."

Emily raised one shoulder, looking embarrassed. Paige's brown eyes were scrutinizing her, and Emily could almost see the wheels turning in her mind. The raven-haired girl felt herself blushing deeply.

"Well, thank you, I guess," Paige eventually said. "And... and why do all that, Fields?" she asked softly, a small smile on her lips.

The Rosewood swimmer sighed. She stared down at the other girl. _She's got really, really beautiful hazel eyes_, she thought before admitting,

"Let's say...that I'm seeking forgiveness."

Paige took a bite of her cupcake, and gave an approving nodd. "For what?"

Emily grumbled, and sank onto the bench opposite Paige.

She laid her hands flat on the table, and took a deep breath.

"Well... for how I treated you, to begin with. I was a bitch. I won't ask you to forgive me, but..."

"It's okay, Emily," Paige cut her off. "I didn't come here for that. I don't need you to apologize to me."

"Really?" Emily asked, surprised. "But I still feel like I have to..."

"Don't do that, Emily." Paige said impatiently.

Seeing the astonished look on Emily's face, the California girl sighed deeply.

"Don't do things just because you think you have to, Emily," she said more softly.

"Stop acting like you think you should. Stop saying what you think people are expecting you to say. Don't try to control everything. Because you can't, and it will only destroy you in the end. Like last night."

Emily just nodded, her throat too tight to speak. She was on the verge of tears. Maybe Paige wasn't looking for apologies, but she at least deserved some explanation.

"Okay," the tall black-haired girl said weakly. "So, where do we go from here?"

She lowered her head, feeling lost, her hair hiding her face. Paige couldn't help but lean over and tuck a strand of loose hair behind Emily's ear, startling the girl. Paige quickly removed her hand.

"Sorry" the California girl said, her cheeks red.

"It's...it's nothing. I mean... that's okay." Emily said.

Paige, in an attempt to steady herself, took a sip of her coffee and a bite of her cupcake.

"Do...do you want another one?" Emily asked, looking at the empty plate.

"No, I'm fine," Paige said, wiping her mouth with her napkin. "I _love_ coconut cupcakes. The vanilla ones are gross: they taste like old pennies. What about you? You're not having anything?"

"Um," Emily said. "I don't think I'll be able to swallow anything for a while. I have a feeling that even a simple glass of water could make me sick." she confessed with an embarrassed smile.

"Oh," Paige said. "I was just about to ask you if you were feeling better."

Her tone was wry but friendly, and Emily felt herself relaxing.

"I'm feeling a lot better than last night, at least. Hard to believe, no?"

"Not particularly," Paige said, smiling. "I don't know you that well, but I guess you weren't at your best last night, Fields."

Emily didn't answer. Her big brown eyes were focused on Paige, and a small smile appeared on her beautiful face.

"What?" Paige asked, frowning.

"You'd like to?" Emily asked. "Get to know me better, I mean." she added when she saw the other girl's perplexed look.

Paige nodded, a warm and pleasant feeling in her chest. "Why do you think I'm here?" she said eventually, with a cute crooked smile.

And that's where and when Emily Fields realized that she found Paige McCullers totally irresistible.

"Okay," Emily said after a while. "So, let's say you can ask me about anything. But...we start easy, okay?"

"Playing it safe, Fields?" Paige teased, leaning back in her seat. "But I agree. Let's start with easy things. What kind of music do you like?"

"Oh," Emily said. She wasn't expecting that question. "I don't know...a lot of different things. Some R&amp;B, some pop music. A little bit of soul music. What about you?"

"Um, very different," Paige said. "I love rock, every kind, from rockabilly to punk rock, and folk music. And even New Country," she added, before bursting into laughter when she saw Emily's horrified face. "Hey, don't make that face! I'm sure you don't really know any of it . There are some great things."

"I'm sure of it." Emily said. She was happy to be able to talk with Paige, even if it was only about casual things like their musical tastes. Things were finally getting normal between them.

"You turn," Paige said, her tone serious now.

Emily took a deep breath. "I... I know it's not my business, but...is there something between you and Shana?"

The California girl raised her eyebrows.

"I thought we agreed on easy things...but okay, that's fine with me," she added when she saw the apologetic look on Emily's face. She knew it had taken some courage for Emily to ask that question.

"Shana...she's my ex," she explained. "We dated for a few months. But it's over now."

"Really?" Emily asked, more to herself than to Paige. "Because she's acting like she really cares about you."

Paige smiled. "Shana can be very protective. So yes, I think she still cares about me. And I care about her, too. But it's really over. We're better off as friends."

"I see," Emily said. "Friends are important."

"You're telling me," Paige said. "Yours are great too. Spencer, Hanna...I don't know Aria much, but she seems cool..."

"They're all great." Emily said. Paige hadn't mentioned Alison's name. But the blonde girl's shadow was right there between them. Emily knew it. She took another deep breath.

"I was in love with Alison DiLaurentis." she said.

"Was?" Paige asked simply. She didn't look surprised.

Emily nodded. "Yes. I'm not anymore...I mean, I like her a lot, but... but I think I was more in love with the idea of Alison that was in my mind, than I was with the real person." _It's exactly that_, she thought with amazement. _I just had to realize it_.

Paige's soft eyes were on Emily. She didn't comment, but simply put her hand on top of Emily's. The Rosewood teen felt her heart racing. Paige's hand was firm, but soft and warm. _How can I feel so close to someone I've just met? _Emily asked herself. She was confused, but relieved too. And there was this strange feeling - like fear, but good fear - the kind of feeling you have before trying a scary but exciting ride at the fair. She still had tears in her eyes, but they weren't sad tears. Not at all.

Paige was scrutinizing her. The California girl hadn't expected Emily to be so open. She was moved by her roommate's honesty, but she also knew that the beautiful brunette was especially vulnerable at the moment. She didn't want Emily to have second thoughts. To lighten the mood, and maybe because she felt that Emily needed a break, Paige decided to talk about lighter topics. She released Emily's hand.

"Okay, Fields. And what about the swimming? How long has it been... serious stuff?"

"Oh," Emily said, smiling. "Since forever, I would say. There aren't... there aren't many places where I feel as comfortable as I do in a swimming pool." she confessed.

"I totally know what you mean," Paige said. "Though I only learned how to swim when I was eleven."

"Really?" Emily asked in surprise. "You must be really gifted then, given how good you are now."

Paige shrugged, looking embarrassed. "I'm not so good," she said. "But I work hard. You know, running, and extra training. And the most important thing is that I really enjoy it. It's not just about training, Emily. When all else fails, it has to be fun." Her tone was serious, her eyes intense. She obviously wanted to tell Emily something.

"Em," Paige said, using the other girl's short name for the first time. "When was the last time you swam for fun?"

Emily sighed. _Good question_. "I can't even remember. It's been a while, for sure."

_And I love it when you call me Em, by the way._

"Okay," Paige said. "So, what do you think about going to swim together, just for fun? No competition. It's better for you anyway, Fields. I would win easily." she added with a wink.

"In your dreams, McCullers," Emily retorted. "But yes, about swimming with you. What about right now?"

"Well," said a smiling Paige. "We probably have to wait for the pool to be open."

"Oh yeah, of course" Emily said, confused. She looked at her watch. Paige was staring at her, a small smile on her lips. _Emily Fields is a totally different girl, and a very adorable one, when she's being herself_, the Californian thought.

Just then, Emily's cell phone buzzed, startling the two girls. Emily took her phone and looked at the text. "It's my mother," she told Paige. "She's wondering why I'm not at home yet. And she doesn't know where you are, either."

"I guess we should go then." Paige said, standing up.

"Wait, Paige, please," Emily said. "I have something else to ask you."

She looked embarrassed again. Paige sat down, frowning.

"You...you don't have to answer if you don't want to," Emily said. "But, Paige...I can't help but wonder about all those pills I found...what is it? Are you ill?"

"Oh, that?" Paige said with a sigh of relief. "That's no big deal, Emily. Really. I know it seems suspicious, but..."

"I know," Emily said with guilt. "I'm sorry." she added once again.

"It's fine, Emily," Paige cut her off. "Like I said, I don't need you to apologize. Maybe if I've told you..."

"I'm listening," Emily said softly.

"I'm... I'm okay now," Paige began. "But a few years ago, when I was around thirteen or fourteen...I started to have major headaches. It was like...an explosion in my brain. I couldn't stand all the noises, the smells, the lights...everything was hurting me. It's hard to describe...but it was so painful. It wasn't all the time, luckily, but it happened mostly when I was tense. After a big school day, or a swim meet, or... or after a fight with my parents. I even had major events, like epileptic seizures. At it's worst, I didn't even dare to go out of my house."

Emily nodded, a lump in her throat.

"Of course, some doctors examined me," Paige continued. "They even looked for a brain tumor. Luckily, it wasn't that. It's a little bit complicated to explain in details, but let's say it's related to the very way my brain is working."

Seeing Emily's perplexed look, Paige added with a smile, "I've got a hyperactive brain. It can be good - I understand things quickly, for instance - but it has its downsides. It's so tiring. Sometimes I wish I could...unplug my brain. It's like it's over-speeding all the time, your know?"

Emily nodded again. She had never heard about this kind of thing, but she understood.

"That's why I have to take some medicine," Paige said. "Some pills help me to slow down. Others help me to focus. And I have some for migraines, and even sleeping pills, because sometimes I can't sleep at all."

Paige's tone of voice was detached: she wasn't complaining, she was just explaining. But Emily felt so sorry for her friend. She'd never imagined Paige had gone through so much.

"The funny thing," Paige added, "is that I don't really need to take medicine anymore. I've been feeling a lot better for a while now. I just have those pills with me in case of I need them. My father insisted about that. He didn't even want me to come to Rosewood in the first place. He's being over-protective. He can be a pain in the ass, believe me. He's my dad for a reason."

Emily was looking at Paige in awe. _This girl is amazing._

"But you know, Emily," Paige said, "I'm really doing okay now. Sports helped me a lot, actually."

"Good," Emily said. "But...Fulton, and your coach...you have to tell them."

"I did," Paige simply stated. "I had to... my coach already knew the basics. I just wanted to keep the details from the whole team, but I guess everybody knows now."

Emily bit her lips, feeling guilty again.

Paige gave her a playful nudge on the shoulder. "Em! I told you, everything is fine. The coaches talked to my dad on the phone, and even to my doctor. Well, they had to analyze the pills, because of the anti-doping protocol, you know, all that stuff. But it's settled now. I talked to my coach earlier. She told me I'm allowed back to training, starting tomorrow."

The relief was so obvious on Emily's face that Paige bursted into laughter.

At the same time, the raven-haired girl's phone buzzed again.

"If we don't go home now, your mother is going to call the cops," Paige joked. "And _you_ should avoid any drug tests at the moment, Fields."

This time, Emily nudged her.

And then she leaned over and kissed Paige's cheek.

The kiss was so soft and so brief that Paige didn't know if she had imagined it or not.

**A/N: I really hope you guys liked this chapter. It's a pivotal one, as you can guess.**

**And don't forget, I love reviews... **


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: Thank you so much for the awesome reviews and PMs. You guys made my week. I put all my heart in chapter 8, so it really meant something that so many people liked it.**

_**Guest1**_**: Yeah, I love that line too! And it's sooo Paige. (I almost wrote the whole chapter because of that line. Almost.) ;)**

_**EUgrl**_**: yes, Emily definitely earned some points, didn't she!**

_**Sheirome**_**: Thanks. That's because Em and Paige are the cutest. Ever.**

_**Guest2**_**: Great! Glad you liked it.**

**_ :_ Yes, you're right, they're still not sure what they are exactly to each other (but they will figure it soon). Paige will leave in a few days actually... (the Oakland team is only staying in Rosewood for a couple of weeks).**

_**jhas**_**: So glad you liked this chapter. The Em/Paige talk was necessary and I loved writing it. You're right, Ali is still a threat, but now that Em came to her senses, our girls are ready to face her (if they have to), right? And we all know that Paily is endgame :) **

_**M2014**_**: Thank you! Yeah they're getting along (it's about time).**

_**Guest3: **_**Yes, sorry you had to wait till Chapter 8 for that! ;)**

_**SouthernStateOfMind**_**: Thank you so much for that very kind review! ****And yes, kudos to Emily! (I was a little mean with her in previous chapters. Sorry Em!...). About Paige's condition: I have the same kind of problem, maybe not that bad (just with the migraines and the trouble sleeping). And I know it can be rough, especially when you're a teenager. But Paige is a fighter! ;)**

_**jud320**_**: Well, I'm glad you're reading it, and I hope you'll stick around.**

_**jedimazzie**_**: Thanks. Like I said, I have the same kind of health problem as Paige, so I know a thing or two about it.**

_**Tns729**_**: Thanks for reading and reviewing!**

**So now, chapter nine. Once again, thank you to my wonderful beta reader, **_**shipallllltheships**_** who did a great job, as always. **

**For those who read the French version: there is a slight difference in this chapter. I added an explanation about the previous Paige/Shana argument (I think it was necessary). Just so you know.**

**Chapter 9**

The morning after their heart-to-heart at the Brew, Emily and Paige showed up together to swim practice. Paige was doing her best to play it cool, but she was really nervous, and Emily knew it. Even if she had been cleared, she would probably be the center of attention.

When they entered the locker room, the two girls realized with relief that there was now a serene atmosphere between the two teams. Some Rosewood and some Oakland girls were even chatting friendly.  
Emily let out a sigh of relief, and sat down on the bench to take off her shoes. She saw Paige being congratulated by her teammates, who seemed really happy to have her back. Emily met Shana's eyes, and this time the tall black girl nodded and smiled gently at the Rosewood teen.

The training session was especially hard, and after two hours of practice, Emily was exhausted. She had slept well the night before, but she was now paying the price of her lack of training and of her nighttime escapades. Paige, alternatively, seemed to be in great shape, and eager to prove that her short suspension from the team hadn't affected her performances at all. She won her races easily, and was the key member of the relay won by the Oakland girls against the Rosewood team.

At the end of practice, Emily got out of the pool and grabbed her towel. The other swimmers were already in the locker room, except for Paige, who was talking with the coaches. Fulton and the Californian coach were probably congratulatling her, Emily thought. She saw Paige turning back and pointing at her. The coaches nodded, as if they were agreeing on something, and then they headed to the locker room. The two roommates were now alone around the pool.

Paige came near Emily, and the Rosewood teen couldn't help but notice how stunning the California girl looked, with her athletic body and her wet hair with drops of water running down her shoulders and down her back.  
Paige had a small smile on her face, and Emily gave her an inquisitive look.

"Don't leave yet, Fields," Paige said. "We've got something to do."

"Really?" Emily asked, confused.

Paige came closer to her, took her hand, and led her towards the pool. Emily's heart was racing.

"We have the pool all to ourselves," Paige said, letting go of Emily's hand. "I talked to the coaches, and I told them I needed extra training to catch up."

"It didn't show," Emily said. "You were amazing today."

"Thanks, but not really. Anyway, the coaches didn't ask any questions. And I told them that you needed extra training too."

Emily dipped her head. "I know. But I'm exhausted, Paige."

"Emily!" Paige said determinedly. The tall raven-haired girl raised her head to meet the other girl's gaze.

"Emily, that's not the point. Maybe you're a little bit out of shape right now, but I'm sure you'll be back on track in no time. What I want for us today is to swim for fun. We talked about it last night, remember?"

Emily smiled, feeling relieved. "Of course I remember. So, you were planning all this?"

"Yes, I was," Paige said. "But I couldn't tell the real reason to the coaches." She smiled fondly. "You really need to blow off some steam, Em."

Emily nodded, her throat tight with emotion. Paige's gaze on her was so soft and full of understanding. Emily wasn't sure she deserved that.

"Follow me," Paige said suddenly.

She jumped into the water, splashing everything around her with water, including Emily, who let out a small scream and dropped her towel before jumping into the pool.

The two girls were still in the water an hour later when the janitor came over to close the pool. The man coughed ostentatiously to let the swimmers know he was there, and shook his bunch of keys. The two teenagers looked around, surprised by the noise. They were in their own world. After splashing each other for a while, they had spent the last half hour doing lengths, just for fun. Paige wanted Emily to feel free again, to enjoy herself. And it had been a success. Emily appeared to be more confident, more relaxed. She was literally gliding through the water with fluid motions, her weariness gone.

The two high school girls climbed out of the pool, waved at the man as an apology, and headed to the locker room. Paige couldn't help but notice the big smile on Emily's face, and started to laugh.

Emily raised her eyebrows.

"What?"

"Nothing." Paige said with a smirk.

Emily bumped Paige's shoulder playfully. She was feeling better, for the first time in weeks, as if her inner turmoil was lighter.

After a quick shower, Emily got dressed, combed her beautiful black locks, and finally decided to let her hair dry naturally. She smiled when she looked at Paige, who was rummaging through her bag, looking for a comb. The California girl was definitely messy. The contents of her bag were spread all over the sink shelf, and she still couldn't find what she was looking for. Emily handed her her own comb.

"Thanks," Paige said with an apologetic smile.

The Rosewood swimmer stared at the Californian trying to tame her auburn hair, eventually opting for a ponytail. Emily sighed and cleared her throat.

"Paige," she said.

"Yes?" the other girl asked.

"There's something I wanted to ask you..." Emily said hesitantly.

"Yes?" Paige said again.

Emily took a deep breath. "What were you talking about, you and Shana, the other night, in front of the Brew? I got the feeling that you were... fighting," she said, not wanting to confess that she was with Alison that evening.

Paige turned to face Emily, her brows furrowed. "You were there?"

"Yes... I... I was just passing by,," Emily said, not wanting to be more specific. "I know it's not my business, Paige. Sorry."

Paige smiled at her and shrugged. "It's okay, Emily. Shana and I... as I told you, we're friends now. Even best friends. But we still fight a lot. She is...rather intense, and I can be stubborn sometimes too. The other night, she was trying to convince me to go to New York University next year. She got her pre-admission letter a few days ago. She is obsessed by NYU since... forever. A little bit like Spencer with UPenn, you know?"

Emily nodded, relieved.

"...She even wants us to be roommates. I told her no. No way. I like her a lot, but sharing a room with her... I'm afraid one of us would kill the other," Paige chuckled. "That's it, Fields. It's no big deal."

"Cool," Emily just said. She felt so stupid. _And I had this stupid scenario in my head. With Alison as a movie director, not so surprising._

She had something else to ask Paige. And it wasn't any easier.

"Um... do you have some plans for tonight?" Emily asked, trying to sound detached.

"As a matter of fact, I do." Paige answered.

"Oh," Emily said, trying to hide her disappointment. "Okay then."

"We... we're going to Philadelphia, the whole team. You know, we're leaving in a few days, and we just want to spend a nice evening in the city."

Paige looked embarrassed, as if she needed to justify herself, which was unusual.

"I get it." Emily deadpanned. _That's right. She's leaving in one week._

Paige glanced at her roommate. The Rosewood teenager seemed to have retreated back into her shell.

"Em," Paige said. "I would have asked you to come, but... it's a team thing, you know?"

"No problem." Emily said in a harsh tone. _And Shana will be there, of course. _

She knew she was being irrational, but she couldn't help it. _Face it, Fields. You're jealous, that's all._

She turned away, grabbed her sports bag and headed out the door. Paige sighed, put her belongings back in her own bag as quickly as she could, and followed the other girl. Their honeymoon hadn't lasted long.

* * *

After tossing and turning for a few hours, Emily was finally drifting into sleep when the door opened and a shadow entered the room.  
Paige was trying to be as quiet as possible, and she hadn't wanted to turn on the light. The result was that she tripped over her shoes on the middle of the floor - just where she had left them carelessly.

The California girl fell, and let out a groan of pain. The light went on, and Paige blinked.

An upset Emily was staring at her from her bed.

"I just fell asleep," the Rosewood swimmer said grumpily.

"Sorry." Paige mumbled. She stood up, rubbing her right elbow, sore from her fall. She turned away, facing the wall. Emily couldn't see her face, but she heard her roommate sniffling. She frowned.

"Paige? You okay?" she couldn't help but ask begrundgingly; she was still pissed at the girl for waking her up.

The other girl shrugged. "I'm fine. Go back to sleep, Emily." Her tone was rather harsh, and she headed to the adjacent bathroom without even looking at Emily.

Emily sighed and lay back on her bed. She closed her eyes. Her heart was racing, and she tried to control her breathing. Once again, she was feeling confused and she didn't really know why. She was angry, not really with Paige, but with herself. After all, she was the one who had been distant and cold in the first place. Paige had only been friendly with her, even protective sometimes.

She felt, more than she heard, her roommate coming back into the room, and switching off the light. Paige's bed squeaked lightly when the girl lay down on it. The two girls lay there in the dark, not talking, even though they knew that the other one wasn't sleeping. The tension in the room was palpable.

Emily's mind was racing. She had felt so close to Paige when they were swimming in the pool and during their talk at the Brew. So it had meant nothing?

She was about to say something, anything, just to break the heavy silence, when she heard Paige sniffling again.

Emily sat up on her bed, alarmed.

"Paige?" she asked. "Are you really okay? Did I do... or say... something wrong... or did Alison?"

Paige's reaction wasn't at all what Emily expected.

"Forget it, Emily," Paige said in a dry tone. "Not everything is about you and your friends."

Feeling hurt, Emily lay back and closed her eyes. Paige's harsh words and tone were painful to hear. _You've earned it, Fields_, she thought bitterly. _What were you expecting exactly? _

With a heavy heart, she tried to get back to sleep. But soon she heard a loud sob coming from Paige's bed. This time, Emily jumped out her bed and kneeled down next to Paige's bed. There was definitely something wrong with the girl, and Emily was determined to know exactly what it was. She put her hand carefully on Paige's shoulder, and she felt the other girl stiffen at the contact.

"Paige," Emily said softly. "Talk to me."

She was expecting Paige to reject her again, but the Californian just sobbed and wiped her eyes.

"It's nothing, really," she said in a small voice.

Emily felt heartbroken. The outgoing and confident west coast girl was gone, replaced by a lost child.

"Paige," Emily said again. "You know you can trust me, don't you?"

Paige nodded.

"Has something happened? With... with Shana?" Emily asked gently.

Even in the half dark room, Emily saw the surprise on Paige's face.

"With Shana? No, it's not that at all, Emily."

"So what is going on?" Emily asked. She wasn't going to give up. She switched on the bedside lamp, and Paige averted her gaze. She had red and puffy eyes, and Emily felt her concern rise.

"Paige!" she said, this time with more determination. "Are you ill? Please tell me what's going on."

"It's stupid," Paige mumbled.

"I don't think it is, given the state you're in," Emily retorted.

"Okay," Paige admitted, sighing. "I...my parents called me earlier. They had some bad news."

Emily's heart tightened a bit. "Yes?" she whispered.

"It's Flinster," Paige said.

"Who?" Emily asked, frowning.

"Flinster," Paige said, sniffling again. "My dog. He...he died this morning."

"Oh", Emily said, not knowing what to say.

Paige looked at her, misinterpreting her thoughts.

"Told you it was stupid," the California girl mumbled, wiping her eyes again.

"Oh no, Paige," Emily said quickly. "It's not stupid at all. I totally get why you're sad. I mean, I never had a pet myself, besides a goldfish, and he barely lived for three weeks, but...I feel so sad for you. I really do."

"It's not your fault, Fields," Paige said in an almost normal voice. "It's just that... when I left, he wasn't very well. I didn't want to leave him at first. But the vet said he still had weeks, maybe even months. He was an old dog, but with a solid heart. I... I always thought that I'd see him again."

Her voice broke again. "I've had him since I was four, you know..."

And then Emily, listening only to her heart, put her arms around Paige and hugged her tightly. The auburn-haired girl relaxed a bit, nestling her head into the crook of Emily's shoulder. The two girls remained still for a few minutes, Paige's sobs eventually becoming less and less frequent. When they had slowed enough, Emily got up, taking the other girl's hand.

"Come with me," she said, leading Paige to her own bed.

The two teenagers lay down next to each other without saying a word. Paige snuggled against Emily; her body found its place so easily against the other that Emily couldn't help but think how natural it all felt. She gently stroked Paige's hair, and her roommate let out a deep sigh, releasing the tension from her body. Emily smiled. It was her turn, this time, to be strong for Paige McCullers.

She waited for the other girl's breath to slow, before closing her eyes and finally allowing herself to drift off to sleep.

* * *

A few hours later, when Emily woke up, she found Paige's right arm wrapped around her waist, hugging her tightly, their legs tangled. The two girls had obviously moved during the night, and Paige's face was very close to Emily's. The Californian was breathing peacefully, and Emily could feel her soft and warm breath against her cheek.

The tall raven-haired girl felt her own heart racing. She remained as still as possible, just adjusting slightly because her left arm, under Paige's body, was feeling a little sore.

After a while, Emily felt Paige shifting, and she closed her eyes quickly. Paige removed her arm from Emily's waist and sat up. Emily tried to stay perfectly still, feigning sleep. She could feel Paige's eyes on her.

Then, much to Emily's disappointment, Paige snuck out of the bed and headed to the bathroom. A few seconds later, Emily heard the sound of the shower.

Emily let out a frustrated sigh and buried her head in her pillow. She was already half asleep when she felt Paige shake her shoulder lightly.

The Oakland girl was now dressed in her tracksuit, her hair back in a ponytail. Her eyes were clear and bright and she was smiling, like her tears from last night had never happened.

"Emily!" Paige said. "It's running time! You coming?"

Emily stared at her incredulously. She looked at her watch. It was barely 6 o'clock.

"Really, McCullers? Now? You're unbelievable."

"So I've been told," Paige said with a cocky smile. She winked at Emily. But the Rosewood girl wasn't in the mood for early morning banter. She felt confused and even slightly irritated. Why was Paige acting like last night hadn't happened?

"I need some more sleep," she said in a sharp tone, burying her head in her pillow.

* * *

The school day had been boring and endless, as it usually was. Emily had had lunch with her friends in the cafeteria, but Paige hadn't showed up - though neither had Alison, much to everyone's relief.

Emily had listened to Hanna's continuous chatting about the new spring collection without really paying much attention to it, responding to the girl with just a few words. Her mind was elsewhere. That hadn't bothered Hanna at all. You had to give her credit for that - the bubbly blonde could handle both sides of conversation herself.

After last period, Emily finally saw Paige. The chestnut-haired girl was talking animatedly with Sydney near the students' lockers. She didn't see Emily heading towards her with her game face on.

Emily grabbed Paige by the arm, and dragged her into the nearest empty room, which happened to be a storage closet. She slammed the door, so hard that the walls almost rattled.

"Um, Fields," Paige said, looking around her. "You realize that Sydney is gonna tell everyone that you shoved me into a broom closet, right? She likes gossips."

"Why are you talking to her, then?" Emily retorted dryly.

"She... she was asking me for some tips for her training," Paige answered, taken aback. She hadn't talked to her roommate since the early morning, and she hadn't expected Emily to be mad at her. Of course the Rosewood teen had been rather grumpy when Paige had asked her to go for a run, but she was definitely not a morning person, so it hadn't surprised Paige.

"What is the problem, Emily?" she asked patiently.

"Stop doing that," Emily cut her off.

"Stop doing what?" Paige asked, frowning.

"That!" Emily said. "Stop...stop patronizing me. I don't need that. I don't need you to protect me all the time, you know? I can take care of myself."

"I...I know that." Paige said, dumfounded. Emily Fields was hard to understand sometimes.

Emily took a step closer. The two girls were the same height, and their faces were now only a few inches from each other. Emily's black stare was looking directly into Paige's hazelnut eyes, so intensely that the California girl stepped back.

But Emily remained still, and asked in a calmer tone, "What are we?"

"What?" Paige said. "What do you mean, Emily?" _I know exactly what you mean_.

"Are we friends?" Emily asked.

"Well," Paige said in a tentative tone. "I guess we are, yes. I hope so."

Emily nodded, but she didn't look satisfied with Paige's answer.

"Would you..." Paige asked cautiously, "Would you like us to be...more than that?"

Emily didn't say a word, but her eyes spoke for her. She dipped her head, her anger and her confidence all gone.

Paige leaned forward. Emily could feel her breath on her face. She closed her eyes.

"Em," Paige croaked."I really want to kiss you right now. But for our first kiss, I've dreamed of better places than a broom closet."

Emily opened her eyes and smiled, tilting her head lightly.

"Because you've dreamed about it?"

Paige blushed furiously. "Hey, Fields," she said, looking away. "Don't get too full of yourself, okay?"

Emily's smile widened. "Okay, McCullers. So, what do we do now?"

Paige tried to clear her mind. It wasn't an easy task, with her heart beating wildly and the emotions rushing through her.

"Let me surprise you," she finally said. "Be ready for eight o'clock, okay?"

"Tonight?" Emily asked, feeling eager and anxious at the same time.

Paige smiled brightly. "Yes, tonight."

* * *

**A/N: Happy summer everyone! Enjoy your vacations if you're lucky enough to have some.**

**Don't worry, I'm still planning frequent updates. The translation ot the entire story is almost done, so I won't let you down. See you soon!**


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: Soooo... this is their long-awaited first date. Hope you'll enjoy!**

_**Guest1**_**: Really? I think Emily really knows what (and who) she wants now. She still have a few things to deal with, though.**

_**jhas**_**: I think you'll love this chapter. :) And I like jealous Emily too. She's very fun to write. And I like the idea of her being jealous about Paige (too often in the show, she takes her for granted). Thanks for your awesome review, as always. **

_**Guest2**_**: well, yes, a kiss might happen in this chapter... or not... I guess you'll have to read it to find out! ;)**

_**Guest3**_**: Thanks! Glad to know it was worth the wait! ;)**

***Thanks to my betareader! Once again, she did a great job.* **

**Chapter 10**

Spencer Hastings was waiting for Paige McCullers in the high school parking lot, casually leaning against her boyfriend Toby's pick-up truck. She waved to the California girl when she saw Paige running down the stairs of the main entrance of Rosewood High. Smiling from ear to ear, Paige reached her in a few strides. The thin brunette immediately handed her a folded piece of paper.

"There's what you asked for, McCullers." Spencer said.

Paige's face lit up. "Great. You were fast."

"It was easy," Spencer said modestly. "There are actually three places that fit what you're looking for."

Paige looked at the list. She had never heard of any of these towns.

Seeing Paige's puzzled look, Spencer added, "If I were you, I wouldn't choose Ravenswood. It's... a weird town."

"Weird how?" Paige asked.

Spencer winced. "It's hard to explain. Let's just say... the atmosphere is kinda creepy. Not the best place for a '_first date'_."

Paige blushed hard, much to Spencer's delight.

"Even if Emily really likes horror movies... I would stay out of Ravenswood," she added.

"Noted," Paige said. She looked at Toby's car approvingly. "So this is your boyfriend's truck?"

"This is it," Spencer answered. "He said you can borrow it for the evening... You can drive it?"

"No problem," Paige said with a cocky smile. "My uncle Tim owns the same truck. I drive it all the time."

Spencer smiled. "Okay, McCullers. I trust you... with that too. Just don't forget, bring it back before midnight. You know, Cinderella's time," she added with a wink.

Paige rolled her eyes.

"Just park it in front of my house, and put the keys under the visor." Spencer said.

"Perfect," Paige answered. She was starting to feel both excited and anxious.

Spencer saw it, and she playfully shoved the other girl. "I expect a full report of the evening. If you don't want to tell me, I will ask Emily for details."

Paige's face was priceless at that moment. Spencer burst into laughter. "Relax, Paige! I don't need _all_ the details... just the big stuff. The important thing is, I know that you'll take care of Em."

"I will" Paige answered firmly.

Spencer had no doubt about that. She handed the car keys to Paige with another wink and headed to her own car.

"Spencer!" the other girl called her back. "I... I have another question."

"Yes?" Spencer asked.

"I just need to be sure," Paige said. "Emily is not afraid of the heights, is she?"

* * *

"You really don't want to tell me where we're going?" Emily pouted.

Paige, driving the truck, glanced at her. Emily had asked the same questions again and again, but Paige had remained adamant.

That wasn't easy, because Emily was especially stunning that evening. The Rosewood swimmer had let her beautiful hair down, with raven black curls tumbling accross her shoulders. She wore light make-up, with brown mascara emphasizing her long lashes.

_Her eyes are so dark and beautiful, I could drown in them_, Paige thought. She had to focus on the road, though, at least for now.

"I won't tell you anything, Fields," Paige eventually said, with a mysterious smile.

Emily let out a frustrated sigh and leaned back in her seat.

"Okay then," Paige acknowledged. "We're not far away now. So I guess you can ask me somes questions. I'll answer with yes or no."

Emily rolled her eyes. But she was smiling. "Seriously, McCullers? How old are you, five?"

"You choose, Fields. Do you want to guess, or not?"

"Okay," Emily said. "Is it... a restaurant?"

"No." Paige simply stated.

"A movie theater?"

"No."

"A bowling place?"

"Please," Paige said, looking offended. "Oh, sorry. I mean, _no_."

"A bar? Wait," Emily said, alarmed. "Please tell me it's _not_ a karaoke bar. I hate karaoke."

Paige smiled. "I thought about it. But no, it's not."

"Good," Emily said, relieved. "So... oh, oh, a drive-in cinema?"

Paige stared at her with an odd look. "Um, Em," she couldn't help but saying. "You know we're not in the fifties anymore, right? Your suggestions are so old-fashioned."

Emily pouted. "Don't mock me. That can be really romantic."

"I guess so," Paige said, winking at Emily. "But I've got something even better. At least, I hope so. I think you'll like it."

Paige was doing her best to appear relaxed and confident, but she was feeling anxious inwardly. She didn't remember feeling so nervous before a date, even a first date. Paige had gone out with several girls, and even with a few guys, but Shana had been her first real girlfriend.

There was no way she could guess how her relationship with Emily was going to evolve, but she knew one thing: she had never in her life felt such strong feelings towards someone. That's why she wanted the evening to be perfect. Paige McCullers always set the bar very high - for swim meets, for the SATs, or for a first date. She was aware she had great expectations - maybe too great. But she was like this - a fighter, and a competitor. She wanted the best of everything.

"We're almost there," Paige said, spotting a road sign for Brookhaven. She was feeling excited now, but still a little anxious. What if Emily didn't like her surprise?

"Brookhaven?" Emily mumbled, surprised. She had expected Paige to drive them to Philadelphia. There was nothing special to do in Brookhaven, if you asked her.

Paige took a map from her pocket (Toby's truck had no GPS) and checked Spencer's instructions one more time. She turned left, leaving the main road behind.

Emily was more and more perplexed. She was going to ask Paige if she really knew where she was going when she saw multicolored lights and heard some very characteristic music.

Paige turned right one last time, and parked the car in a crowded parking lot. Emily looked around her. A smile crept accross her beautiful face.

"A fairground! Paige, that's wonderful."

Paige felt her heart racing. "Really?" she asked with relief. "You... you like it? You don't think it's too cheesy, or... or too childish?"

"Paige!" Emily said again, her eyes sparkling. "This is amazing. You know, I can't even remember the last time I went to a fair."

Paige smiled. "Well, there's no time to waste then, Fields."

* * *

Two hours later, the girls had tried almost every ride at the fair, and they were really having fun. Paige had quickly become the star of the bumper cars; she had even gained an audience who was cheered for her each time she collided with another car. Emily was watching her from the side, beaming. She had given up after the fourth ride. She was having fun just by watching Paige. Her energy and her happiness were infectious.

The Rosewood teen won Paige's respect in the shooting gallery. Paige would never have thought that Emily was such a talented shooter. She watched her in awe, mouth agape. Emily hit every single target, much to the owner's dismay. Then Emily put the gun down, and tried to hold back her smile. Paige was looking at her, bemused.

"Okay, Fields," Paige finally said. "You got me. Where the hell did you learn to shoot like this?"

"My father taught me," Emily replied proudly, before choosing her prize.

She didn't choose the biggest reward (a huge teddy bear with a red bow tie), but instead picked up a small stuffed dog with white fur and blue eyes. The toy was really adorable, and was wearing a shining necklace with fake diamonds.

Emily handed the stuffed animal to Paige. "It's for you. I know this won't replace your real dog, but..." she said shyly.

Paige didn't answer. She pressed the dog against her chest before reaching for Emily and giving her a big hug, and a quick kiss on the cheek. Then she took Emily's hand and the two girls headed to the carousel area.

Paige's left thumb was softly stroking the back of Emily's hand. That was enough for the raven-haired girl to shudder. The sensation was amazing - _and we are only holding hands_, Emily thought - but a little frustrating at the same time. She was longing for more - but was Paige feeling the same way?

As if she could read her roommate's mind, Paige squeezed Emily's hand gently and gave her her most charming smile.

"Be patient," she whispered, and Emily felt her cheeks turn red.

_What the hell, Fields, it's not your first date. Don't act like a middle school kid. _

"Where are we going now?" she asked, trying to sound cool.

Paige's smile widened. "To the top of the world," she answered with a cryptic smile.

A few minutes later, the two girls were standing in front of the main attraction of the funfair.

"The Ferris wheel!" Emily said, her eyes wide open, her breath short. The wheel was really huge. Emily was mesmerized by the shimmering lights and the decorated gondolas; they looked like small candy boxes. And then there was the music - a very old tune that she remembered from somewhere, a long time ago. The whole thing was hypnotic.

It was rather late already - almost 11:30 PM - and the waiting line wasn't too long. Paige bought some tickets, and glanced at Emily. The Rosewood girl was still looking at the ride in awe. Paige took this opportunity to whisper something into the clerk's ear, and to give him something that he quickly put in his pocket.

The girls' gondola was exactly at the top when the Ferris wheel suddenly stopped. Emily looked around, alarmed.

"Do you think it's going to last long?" she asked Paige with a worried look.

The California girl smiled. "I'd say three minutes exactly," she answered in a slightly shaky voice, looking right into Emily's eyes.

And that was when Emily realized that Paige had planned this all along.

"Paige..." Emily said, her breath short. She was feeling both eager and nervous.

Paige leaned over Emily, and the Rosewood teen closed her eyes. Paige's lips met Emily's, softly at first, and then more firmly. Paige smiled inwardly when she felt Emily responding to the kiss. She put her arm around the girl's shoulders, pulling her closer. Emily buried her hands in Paige's hair.

Paige couldn't help but moan. She wanted to remember everything - the light breeze, the soft music, the gentle rocking of the gondola. And, of course, the taste of Emily's lips, her soft skin, her own racing heartbeat.

_It's even more wonderful than I thought it would be._

Emily Fields and Paige McCullers' first kiss was everything that a first kiss should be. Sweet, exhilarating, and a little clumsy too. And it lasted exactly three minutes, the two girls parting their lips only to breathe.

When the Ferris wheel finally started to move again, Emily and Paige were still in each other's arms, Emily's head buried in the crook of Paige's shoulder.

After getting off the Ferris wheel, the two girls wandered around the fair, holding hands. Emily was feeling as light as a feather. Her head was even spinning a little, but in a delicious way. She hadn't felt this happy in a long time. Paige herself was on cloud nine. The whole evening had been pure bliss.

A sweet smell was in the air - a mix of marshmallow and candy.

"You hungry?" Paige asked.

Emily smiled at her. "Yes. But this time, I pay, okay?"

The Californian nodded, and let Emily buy them some waffles and cotton candy.

They settled on a bench and watched the people strolling by. They didn't feel the need to talk to each other, but they were exchanging soft glances and sweet smiles. Paige couldn't help but steal some cotton candy from Emily, and the raven-haired beauty pretended to be offended, just to obtain a kiss from the other girl. Paige was eager to oblige.

They were lost in each other's eyes when they heard whispers. Raising their eyes, they saw a middle-aged couple looking at them disapprovingly. The woman whispered something in her husband's ear. Emily could only hear the end of the sentence, something like: "They don't even hide it anymore".

Emily suddenly jumped off the bench and rushed to the parking lot, followed by a worried Paige.

"Emily!" the California girl called, but the Rosewood teen didn't even bother to turn around.

Paige increased her pace and grabbed Emily's arm. The raven-haired girl turned to face her. She had tears in her eyes, and Paige felt heartbroken at the sight.

"Emily," Paige said again. "Don't let them upset you. Please, don't."

Emily looked away. "Can we get in the car, please," she said sharply.

Paige unlocked the door, and Emily settled in the passenger seat, fastening her seatbelt. Paige sat behind the wheel, but didn't start the car. She was looking carefully at Emily, and she couldn't help but be a little irritated by her roommate's reaction. She let out a deep sigh.

"Em... that kind of comment...it doesn't happen often, but...it _can _happen. It's...it's not the first time that you've hear people being homophobic, is it?"

"No...but it's the first time that kind of remark was directly addressed at me," Emily confessed in a trembling voice.

"And...do you think you can handle it?" Paige asked carefully, trying not to sound desperate. _Everything was going so well. Too well, I guess_.

Emily looked at Paige, and saw the concern and the hurt in her face. Her heart sank. _Oh God, I hurt her._

Finally listening to her heart, she leaned in and softly stroked Paige's cheek. "I hope I can handle it," she whispered. "It's just that... it's so hard. And...it seems so easy for you."

Paige stared at her in disbelief. "Really? That's what you think?" She leaned back suddenly, surprising Emily. "If you really want to know," Paige continued in a hurt voice, "My coming out wasn't easy. Not at all. There were some tears, some screaming. My dad yelled at me first, and then he wouldn't talk to me for weeks. And that's the short story."

Emily looked at her, feeling guilty. "I'm sorry. I had no idea... you seem so... comfortable with all this. I'm not... I'm not that brave. I can't even imagine telling my dad, or even worse, my mom."

She looked so vulnerable that Paige felt her anger falter.

"Em," she said in a softer tone. "Don't make it a big deal. I mean, _it is_, but the longer you wait... the harder it will be. You'll have to tell them eventually."

"I know," Emily said, wiping her eyes.

"And I'll always be there, if you need me." Paige simply added while turning the ignition key. Emily felt her heart skip a beat.

_I know that, Paige McCullers. I have no doubt._


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: Chapter 11 is beginning right after Chapter 10 ended.**

**Thanks for reading guys! Don't forget to review!**

_**jhas**_**: Glad that you liked chapter 10, with their first date. I wanted it to be romantic, in a McCullers kind of way, something that Paige would do. ****About Emily: well the "coming out part" is... coming soon. :) I have to warn you though, Ali is back in this chapter. Yes, I know... but don't worry too much. Someone may surprise you, in a good way.**

_**Guest1**_**: Sorry I made you feel sad. See, Emily is still struggling, but things will get better eventually. I promise.**

_**Guest2**_**: Thanks! Writing their first date was really fun! And you're right, they'll work it out. They have each other now.**

_**Guest3**_**: Good to hear! ;)**

_**Guest4**_**: Well this is it! Chapter 11! Hope you'll like it!**

_**Thank you to my betareader Shipallllltheships...as always!**_

**Chapter 11**

Paige parked Toby's truck in front of Spencer's house, as planned. Then she and Emily walked back to the Fields' house, just down the street.

Paige and Emily had barely talked during the ride back to Rosewood, each girl lost in her own thoughts. The evening had been magical, but had ended on a bitter note, because of the incident that had upset Emily so much.

The Rosewood girl felt ashamed at her reaction. Now, she was mostly just hoping that she hadn't hurt Paige. The Californian had turned the radio on loudly as soon as she had started the engine. Emily hoped that it wasn't because she didn't want to talk to her anymore.

She glanced at the girl walking beside her in silence. She didn't look angry, or even preoccupied, but since they had left the fairground, Emily couldn't help but notice (and regret) the lack of any physical contact.

She grazed Paige's hand with her fingers, rather clumsily at first. She felt the other girl startle and look at her. She was relieved when Paige finally took her hand, squeezing it before entwining their fingers.

Emily shivered, and not just because the night was cooler now - it was almost midnight.

"You cold?" Paige asked her.

Emily shook her head, but Paige just smiled and draped the hoodie she had brought over the brunette's shoulders, just in case.

"Thanks," Emily said, touched by the simple yet chivalrous gesture. It was so Paige, she thought_. I could get used to that._

"How was your date, Fields?" Paige asked after a while. She was trying to sound detached, but Emily wasn't fooled by her casual tone. Paige looked self-assured most of the time, but there was this inner fragility - like she wasn't sure that she was loved, or that she even _deserved_ to be loved.

So Emily, in the dark and silent street, not far from her own house, took Paige in her arms and kissed her softly on the lips. Then she whispered in her ear: "The date was _absolutely perfect_, McCullers."

* * *

"Okay, Emily," Hanna said determinedly. "Are you officially _together_, now?"

Emily sighed deeply. You could always count on Hanna to get right to the point. The school day had barely started, and her friend had already started assaulting her with questions about the night before.

Emily put her schoolbag on the table. Spencer was already there, a book open in front of her.

"I don't know, Han. We didn't talk about that."

"But this date," Hanna insisted. "It went...pretty well, yes?"

"It went more than well. It was...just perfect," Emily confessed, blushing.

Hanna's smile widened. "Great. This Ferris wheel kiss, it's so...romantic. Of course it was a girl's idea. If only Caleb could be like that..."

Spencer, who had listened to her friends' conversation without saying anything so far, let out a wry grunt.

Hanna glanced at her.

"Toby could totally do that," Spencer stated with a confident smile.

"You wish," Hanna retorted. "I tell you what, Paige totally rocks. If only I were gay..."

"I have dibs on her," Spencer said. "I met her first."

"Hey, back off, you two!" Emily reacted. "I'm glad that you both like Paige, but she's _my_ girlfriend."

Hanna and Spencer shared a triumphant smile.

"So, it's official," Hanna stated.

Emily shrugged, choosing not to argue, but her wide grin spoke for her.

Hanna wasn't done, though. "So, what's next?"

Emily frowned. "What do you mean, Hanna?"

"Emily," Hanna said in a patient tone. "Paige is going back to California in a few days. _California_, Em. Far away from Rosewood. It's like another planet."

"It's on the other side of the country, Hanna. Paige doesn't live on planet Mars," Spencer said, rolling her eyes. Hanna stuck her tongue at her.

Emily sighed. "Thank you for reminding me, Hanna. I do know Paige will leave Rosewood soon. It's just that...it feels so right, what we have now. _I_ feel so right..."

"That's the point!" the bubbly blonde said. "You're so cute together. The perfect couple. It can't end there. Don't you think, Spence?" she asked, nudging the thin brunette.

But Spencer was staring at Emily, her brain visibly racing.

"What?" Emily asked, noticing her gaze.

"Did you talk to Paige about next year? About Stanford?" Spencer suddenly said.

"Stanford? Like, the University? Paige is going to _Stanford_?" Emily gasped.

"Um," Spencer said, looking embarrassed. "I don't know for sure, but she got accepted there, with a full ride. I...I thought she told you," she added with a sheepish smile.

The look on Emily's face was unmistakable. She didn't know.

"Wow," Hanna said in an attempt to lighten the mood. "Stanford. Paige is _also _very smart. She's quite the catch, Em. And no wonder you get along with her so well, Spence."

"Please stop, Hanna," Spencer said between her teeth. She was still staring at Emily. The raven-haired girl was clearly struggling internally.

"Her hoodie," Emily said out of the blue.

"What?" Hanna asked.

"Her hoodie," Emily repeated. "She had it with her last night, and she lent it to me because she thought I was getting cold. It was a Stanford hoodie. I remember it now. It was so obvious..." she sighed.

"Em," Spencer softly said. "It's good too, to just enjoy the moment. But you should...talk to her about all that. I'm just saying."

Emily nodded, trying to look detached. But she was feeling distressed.

_What if she doesn't feel the same as I do? What if it's just a fling for her, nothing else?_

She was so lost in her thoughts that she didn't see Paige coming into the cafeteria, followed by Aria. The Californian's face lit up when she saw Emily.  
Hanna and Spencer winked at each other when Paige kissed Emily's cheek casually before sitting next to her. Aria took the seat next to Spencer, and put her pile of books on the table.

"Where were you?" Hanna asked, even though the answer was rather obvious.

"In the library," Aria answered. Her eyes were sparkling with excitement.

"The school just received a new donation. _Real_ books, not e-books."

Hanna rolled her eyes. "It's a waste, if you ask me. They'd better buy us the new iPad."

Spencer sighed deeply. "No comment," she said wryly.

She glanced at the book that Paige had in her hands. "_This Side of Paradise?"_ she asked, raising an eyebrow.

"It's one of my favorite books," Paige confessed. "I wanted to reread it."

She dipped her head, and Spencer smiled warmly at her. "It's one of my favorites too. Good choice, McCullers."

"Paige is like me," Aria said joyfully. "She loves her Fitzgerald."

Hanna chuckled. "We already know that, Aria."

All the girls bursted into laughter, except for Paige, who was looking at her new friends puzzled.

Almost everybody in Rosewood High was aware of Aria Montgomery's crush on the young Literature teacher, Mr. Fitzgerald, who went by Mr. Fitz.

Aria just shrugged, a dreamy smile on her face. She was used to being teased by her friends, but she didn't care. She knew she count on them to be discreet.

Paige was smiling too. She was feeling totally at ease with Emily's friends, not just with Spencer. She had just discovered that Aria shared her love of old books, and she found Hanna really funny.

She glanced at Emily. The beautiful brunette hadn't reacted to her kiss, and seemed rather tense. _She probably doesn't like public displays of affection_, Paige thought. _I have to remember that. _

She was feeling so happy; she almost felt the urge to scream to the world that she and Emily were dating.

"You okay, Em?" the auburn girl whispered. Emily just nodded without looking at Paige.

Paige made eye contact with Spencer, and the younger Hastings silently mouthed "_Stanford_."

Paige swallowed hard. _Okay. I think I get it_. _I guess I should have told her._

She and Emily hadn't talked about the future. They had just seized the moment, as if tomorrow would never come, as if Paige was going to stay in Rosewood forever.

They had to talk about it. And sooner rather than later, Paige thought.

* * *

The doorbell of the Field's house rang for the second time in a row. A rather irritated Pam Fields walked out of the kitchen, wiping her hands on a towel.

She had just started to prepare dinner, and she wasn't expecting anyone right now. Emily and Paige were at practice, and Pam had promised to cook them her famous meatloaf for dinner. She had no time to waste and she wasn't in the mood to talk to a neighbor or worse, a salesman.

She opened the front door to discover, much to her surprise, Alison DiLaurentis in front of her. As usual, the young girl was radiant, and impeccably dressed. A real fashion model - almost too perfect.

"Alison," Pam said simply, with a tight smile. For whatever reason, she felt uncomfortable around Ali. The teenager wasn't like Emily's other friends. Aria and Hanna were adorable, and Pam had grown to really like Spencer, whom she had found a little daunting at first.

The blonde girl seemed concerned, which was unusual. She didn't speak.

"Emily isn't home," Pam said after a moment.

"I know," Alison answered.

She lowered her eyes and whispered, "To tell you the truth, I wanted to see _you_, Mrs. Fields."

Pam frowned, alarmed despite herself. "Really? You wanted to talk to me, Alison? Is everything all right?"

"Can I come in first, Mrs. Fields?" Alison asked.

Emily's mother let her in, and they sat in the living room.

Alison sat on the very edge of the couch, her eyes still focused on the ground. This wasn't like her at all. She was usually either flippant or cocky. Or both.

"Would you like something to drink, Alison?" Pam Fields asked. She didn't like the girl, but she had her manners.

"No, thank you, Mrs. Fields," Alison answered with an angelic smile. "I don't want to bother you. But...I have to talk to you."

Pam Fields tightened her grip on her armchair. She had a bad feeling about this.

"I'm listening, Alison," she said, trying to keep her tone neutral.

"It's about Emily," Alison said. "I'm worried about her."

She didn't miss the sudden tension in Pam Fields' features.

"I think you have the right to know," the blonde girl continued. "That girl you're hosting... Emily's penpal..."

"Paige," Pam said.

"Yes, Paige. I don't know how to put this, but... she... she _likes_ girls."

"What?" Pam asked, confused. "What do you mean?" she stammered, before realization dawned on her. "Oh... oh, I see."

Ali watched the facial expressions of Emily's mother, and noted with satisfaction the clenched jaws and the reddened cheeks. The teenager smiled inwardly. All was going as planned.

She didn't let the older woman pull herself together and quickly added, "I know. It's not really my business. But... you know how naïve Emily can be, and easily influenced. And I'm afraid that...well, to put it frankly, Paige McCullers took advantage of the situation, and...of Emily."

Pam Fields winced like she had been slapped. She stared at the blonde girl in front of her. Alison had an embarrassed smile on her face, but her eyes were sparkling with triumph.

Pam Fields stood up and said, "Well, Alison. Thank you for...for telling me."

Her tone was cold, and her expression was unreadable, even for Alison, who could usually guess almost everybody's feelings just by looking at them.

But the Rosewood teen was smart. She knew when to stop. She just nodded at the other woman, and slipped away.

Pam Fields collapsed in her armchair, her head in her hands.

* * *

Paige and Emily had just left the pool and were happily talking about the practice when the black-haired girl's cellphone rang. Emily absent-mindedly took the call, still smiling to Paige's jokes (the California girl was especially funny this evening).

"Yes, Mom?"

"Emily," Pam Fields' voice said, "I want you to come back home now. I have to talk to you." Her tone was neutral, but Emily knew her mother. Something was up.

"Is everything okay, Mom?" Emily asked in a worried voice. "Is it...is Dad okay?"

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Paige stop and look at her, concerned.

"Dad is fine," Pam Fields answered quickly. "I just want you home, _now_, Emily. It's important."

"Okay," Emily said, frowning. "I'll be right there. Practice just ended."

On the other end of the line, Pam Fields hung up without adding another word, which was unusual.

Emily's puzzled look wasn't lost on Paige. "Is everything okay, Em?" she asked softly, taking the girl's hand.

"I...I think so," Emily said. "It's just that...my Mom wants to talk to me, and it sounds pretty serious."

Fifteen minutes later, the two girls were on the Fields' front porch. The door burst open, revealing a rather upset Pam Fields.

"Paige," Emily's mother said. "Could you please go upstairs? I have to talk to my daughter."

"Um, yes, of course, Mrs. Fields," Paige said, noting the sharp tone. She headed for the stairs.

Emily dropped her sports bag on the ground and looked closely at her mother.

"Mom? What's going on?"

"Let's go in the kitchen, Emily" Pam said curtly.

Emily's heart was pounding. Something had happened, but what?

Once in the kitchen, with Emily sitting on a barstool, Pam Fields cleared her throat, took a seat and put her hands flat on the table.

"Alison came over earlier," she started.

_Oh no_, Emily thought. _She didn't... But yes, of course, she did. It's Alison._

She nodded, her mouth suddenly dry. Pam Fields' dark gaze was on her.

"She told me... a few things. About... about Paige, and she implied that..."

"What?" Emily asked, despite herself. She already knew.

Pam Fields let out a deep sigh.

"Is there... _something_, between you and Paige?" she asked with difficulty.

"Mom..." Emily pleaded. _It wasn't supposed to happen like this. Not at all._

"Just tell me the truth, Emily" her mother said in a dry tone.

"...Yes," the teenager finally admitted. "There is."

Pam Fields nodded slowly.

"Mom," Emily said in a rush. "Paige didn't... I mean, she didn't do anything. It's just that...I didn't know how...how to tell you. And Paige... it wasn't planned. It just... happened."

She bit her lips. _Great, Fields. What a lame explanation_. She tried to fight back the tears.

The silence was becoming unbearable.

"Please say something, Mom," Emily pleaded.

"I just can't believe it," Pam Fields said finally. "I can't believe that a friend could do that to you."

Emily was beginning to feel faint. "Mom," she stammered, tears now rushing down her cheeks. "I swear to you, Paige didn't..."

"I'm not talking about Paige," Pam Fields cut her off. "I'm talking about Alison."

Upstairs in Emily's room, Paige was pacing. She couldn't hear what was going on downstairs, but she had a bad feeling about this. She tried to calm down by sitting on her bed and taking a few deep breaths. Thoughts were racing through her mind - crazy, agonizing thoughts.

_Please, tell me nobody died. Please, tell me Emily's father is okay_.

She jumped to her feet when she heard someone climbing up the stairs. The door opened and Emily stepped in, her face pale and stained with tears.

The gorgeous raven-haired girl sat on her bed without saying a word. Paige knelt beside her, alarmed.

"Em?" she asked softly. "What's going on? Is it... is it about your dad?"

"No, no," Emily quickly answered. "My... my dad's fine. It's something else. It's... Paige, my mother _knows_. About us."

She lowered her head, looking distressed.

"Oh," Paige said. "Oh." The Californian got up and ran her fingers through her hair. She felt her heart racing, and she tried to control the rising panic. Emily looked so lost. Paige had to be strong for the both of them.

"How?" she couldn't help but ask.

"Alison," Emily answered, her eyes still focused on the ground.

Paige felt her anger rising. _Of course_. "I see," she said, her voice trembling slightly.

"She's waiting for us," Emily mumbled.

"Alison?" Paige asked, dumbfounded.

"My Mom!" Emily said. "She wants to talk to us. Both of us."

She got up and headed to the door, followed by a worried Paige.

The two girls walked down the stairs like prisoners headed for the electric chair. Pam was waiting for them in the living room. She motioned for the girls to sit down, and Paige and Emily settled on the couch - as far away from each other as they could manage.

The silence was overwhelming. Paige could feel Pam Fields' glare on her. She could also feel her own cheeks burning. Next to her, Emily looked in agony.

Paige cleared her throat and asked, "Do you want me to leave your house, Mrs. Fields?"

Pam Fields hadn't expected that question. She shook her head and said, "Don't be silly, Paige. Of course not. That's...that's not the point."

Emily opened her mouth to speak, but her mother raised a hand to stop her.

"Listen to me, both of you," she said in a determined tone.

"I'm not going to ask you... to talk about it. About your..._relationship_," she said, closing her eyes briefly. "I... I don't understand it. I don't even know if I can. And I wish I had learned about it earlier... and not _like that_. But I also know that I can't prevent you from doing... whatever you're doing...outside this house. But inside my home...I want you to _behave_. Do I make myself clear?"

Paige nodded. Pam Fields looked at her daughter, who was sitting silently.

"Emily?" she asked.

"...Yes, Mom." the raven-haired beauty finally responded.

Emily was feeling both relieved - her mother hadn't yelled at them, she hadn't kicked Paige out - and oppressed. She knew that the 'big talk' with her parents was now inevitable.

"Good," Pam Fields stated simply. "Now, dinner is ready. I don't want my meatloaf to get burned."

The dinner's atmosphere was strained, to say the least. The guests were excessively polite to each other, only speaking to ask for the salt or the water.

Paige complimented Mrs Fields on her meatloaf, earning a tight smile from the older woman. The latter let the two girls clear off the table and bring the dessert in from the kitchen. Paige, filling the dishwasher, glanced at Emily. The Rosewood girl was busy putting the cake on a plate. She had been avoiding Paige's eyes during the whole meal.

"Em," Paige whispered. "It's gonna be okay." She wasn't sure of that, but she knew that Emily needed to be comforted.

Emily let out a small sigh. She looked at Paige - finally. The Californian girl smiled kindly at her, before grabbing the plates and spoons from the kitchen counter and exiting the room.

Back in the dining room, Paige saw that Mrs Fields was staring blankly ahead, visibly lost in her thoughts. She put the plates and the spoons on the table softly, and approached the older woman. Pam startled, as if she had forgotten Paige was there.

But Pam Fields was a well-mannered woman. She tried to compose herself as best as she could. Paige wasn't fooled, though.

"Mrs. Fields," she said softly but firmly. "She's _still_ Emily. She's still the beautiful, wonderful girl you raised." She sat back in her chair. She wasn't expecting an answer.

Emily came back into the room just then, the cake plate in her hands. Her mother's eyes were on Paige - and to Emily's surprise and relief, her look wasn't hostile, not at all. It was thoughtful, and surprised.

The dinner continued in silence, but the atmosphere was less tense than before. Pam Fields told the girls that she was going to spend the rest of the evening in her office, to work on her photo albums (she was a scrap booking addict).

Emily knew that in reality, her mother wanted to be alone to think this through. And probably to phone her husband. Pam wished the girls good night, and went straight into her den.

The two girls were now alone in the living room. Emily sighed deeply. She had held her breath all evening, which was excessively difficult, even for a swimmer. She squirmed in her armchair. Her body was really tense, especially her shoulders and her neck, just like after a rough practice.

"Do you want to watch a movie?" she asked Paige, rather clumsily. The Californian was on the couch, her head dipped.

"Okay. Whatever you want."

She knew that the atmosphere was tense between them. Watching a movie on DVD or anything like that might help them relax.

* * *

"Paige," Emily whispered. "Paige."

The Californian girl sat up in her bed, startled. "Emily? What's up?" she asked in a hoarse voice.

Dawn was almost here, and neither of the girls had slept more than a couple of hours. They had tossed and turned in their respective beds, fighting off sleep, not speaking to each other.

"Can you come here? Near me?" Emily asked shyly, patting her bed.

Paige cringed. The room was still half dark and she couldn't see Emily's features, but she had heard the vulnerability in her roommate's voice.

"Em," she said softly. "You...you know what you mother said... I don't think that I should..."

"I just need... I just want you to hold me," Emily said. "Please. Can you do that?"

Paige hesitated for a moment. Her heart and her body wanted only one thing - being with Emily, _close _to Emily - but her mind was saying otherwise.

"Okay," she finally whispered. She climbed onto the bed, next to Emily, and the other girl immediately snuggled against her, her head on her chest.

Paige's heart was hammering. She put her arm around Emily's shoulders, tightening her grip. The Rosewood teen sighed and grabbed Paige's right hand, intertwining their fingers. She could feel Paige's warm breath in her hair.

Emily closed her eyes, and drifted off to sleep. The future was still uncertain, but with Paige by her side, she was less afraid to fight her inner demons.


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N: Hi guys! I'm really sorry for the wait. I left the city for a few days off, I really needed some vacations from work. ;) ****But I'm back, and thanks to my wonderful betareader, here is Chapter 12. ****Enjoy, and don't forget to review! Please!**

_**jhas**_**: Yes, Alison was really bitchy in chapter 11. But Pam reacted rather well, didn't she? And yes, kuddos to Emily. She's being brave and resolve and I think we can be proud of her :) Thank you for your awesome review, as always.**

_**Guest1**_**: Yes, but finally Alison's evil plan didn't work! :)**

_**Guest2**_**: glad you liked it! Yes the end of the chapter was definitely sweet.**

_**Guest3**_**: sorry for the wait! Hope you're still here :)**

_**Guest 4**_**: again, sorry, hope you'll like this chapter.**

_**Guest 5**_**: Well, I'm back! ;)**

**Chapter 12**

Paige started to feel weak as she approached the street where the Hastings' - and the DiLaurentis'- lived. Her vision began to blur, and was seeing orange spots. The silence of the deserted street was soon replaced by a defeaning thundering inside her head - as if drums were being played.

Paige tried not to panic. Maybe this was just because she had pushed herself too hard during her morning run. She stopped and tried to breathe deeply. But she felt her legs begin to falter, and she grabbed for a tree. She stumbled and fell forward, her head hitting the pavement hard. A few seconds later, her body started to convulse.

Melissa Hastings was heading to her car when she saw something strange in the road. Frowning, she sped up her pace and almost cursed when she realized it wasn't something - it was someone. She knelt next to the unconscious body, and realized she recognized the girl. She didn't know the teenager's name, but she had seen her before, hanging out with her sister, Spencer. Melissa quickly took her phone from her purse and dialed.

When Paige regained consciousness, she wasn't sure where she was. She blinked and looked around her. She definitely knew the feeling - even if she hadn't been here before. _A hospital. I'm in a hospital bed._

She felt her anxiety rising - and her first thought was for Emily.

_Em. I have to tell her. She must be worried sick. _

She tried to sit up but felt a soft but firm hand holding her back. She turned her head and saw a young man dressed in green scrubs. The man looked friendly and had nice, curly black hair. He was wearing a badge on his chest.

'Dr. Wren Kingston' Paige read, blinking. She had heard that name before, but she didn't remember where or when.

"Welcome back, Miss McCullers," the young doctor said. His voice was mellow, with a hint of British accent. "Don't try to get up. Just relax. We have a few things to check on."

Noticing Paige's confused look, Wren gave the girl a comforting smile. "Everything's fine. You collapsed in the street. You're in Rosewood Hospital."

"I have to... Emily..." Paige stammered, a pleading look in her eyes.

The young doctor squeezed her shoulder softly. "Don't worry. Melissa already called your penpal's family."

"Melissa?" Paige asked.

"Melissa Hastings," Wren explained. "She's the one who found you. Just in front of her house. She called me immediately."

Paige looked at him, puzzled.

"I'm... let's say, her ex-fiancé, Wren." the young man said with a smile.

"Oh," Paige said. She suddenly remembered Spencer talking about the stormy relationship between her sister and a young British medicine student.

"Rosewood is a really small town," she said in a weak voice.

Wren winced at her. "Tell me about it, Miss McCullers. Too small, if you ask me."

"Paige," the California girl said. "Please call me Paige."

"A lovely name for a lovely girl," Wren said with a wink.

Paige felt her cheeks flush red. She found the young doctor very attractive.

_Get a grip, McCullers. Last time you checked, you were gay. You must have hit your head really hard._

She absent-mindedly rubbed her forehead and winced. The pain was still acute.

"Your head hit the pavement when you fell," the young doctor confirmed. "Has that kind of thing happened to you before?"

Paige closed her eyes. "Yes," she said in a downcast voice. "Yes, but not for a while."

A bit later, Paige was trying to rest in her rather uncomfortable hospital bed. She had had all kind of medical tests done, including a head scan, which had shown nothing abnormal. She heard someone knocking at the door. It couldn't be Wren or the nurses - they were coming in and out her room without bothering to knock.

"Come on in," she said, her heart racing at the thought of Emily. But the Fields she saw entering the room wasn't her roommate.

Pam Fields tiptoed to Paige's bed, and the teenager couldn't help but notice the worried look of the older woman.

"Paige!" Emily's mother said. "Thank god you're okay. I was so worried. When Melissa Hastings told me...I came here right away, but they wouldn't let me see you before they did all those tests. Your doctor told me you had a head scan?"

Paige dipped her head. "I'm sorry for causing you so much concern, Mrs. Fields."

They both knew that she wasn't solely referring to her accident.

Pam Fields nodded, her throat tight. She was torn between her maternal instinct and her reserved nature, which was emphasized by the _'special'_ relationship between her daughter and Paige.

She sat on a chair near the young girl's bed.

"I called your parents," she said in a decided tone. "I talked to your mother. She was very anxious at first, but I told her the tests didn't show anything serious."

"Thank you, Mrs. Fields," Paige said, grateful that her mother -not her father- had been the one who had answered the phone.

As if she had guessed the California girl's thoughts, Pam added with a smile:

"Your father wanted to take the next plane, but you mother talked him out of it. I told her we were going to take good care of you. We had a nice chat. Your mother seems like a lovely woman."

"Thanks," Paige said, at a loss for words.

"She told me...that that kind of thing happened to you before," Pam Fields cautiously said.

Paige sighed. "That's right. But it's been a while... I thought this was over. That I was fine now. I'm...I'm sorry for not telling you, Mrs. Fields."

"It's all right, Paige. Don't worry about that, okay?"

She patted the girl's shoulder. Silence settled in the room, but it wasn't the tensed silence of the evening before.

Paige had only one thing in mind. She was about to ask her question when the door burst open and a black-haired tornado barged in the room.

"Paige!" a crying Emily said, rushing to the bed.

Pam Fields stood up, bemused, and stared at her daughter hugging her roommate tightly and then kissing her on the mouth. The two girls were both crying.

"What a moving scene," said a male voice.

Pam, her face bright red, turned her eyes to the young doctor who had just entered the room.

Wren Kingston was wearing an understanding but professional smile. He waved the folder he was holding in his hands. "The good news is, Paige will be able to get out of here tomorrow. If you make sure she gets some rest, of course," he said, looking at the two Fields. Both women nodded.

Pam glanced at her daughter. Emily was still hugging Paige tightly, but -thank god, Pam thought- their lips were now apart.

"Teenagers," Pam Fields said to the doctor with an embarrassed smile.

"Tell me about it," Wren said, his eyes sparkling with mischief.

"And especially, teenagers _in love,_" he added with a brief wink to Paige and Emily.

* * *

Wren had to use all his powers of persuasion (and his British charm) to convince Emily to let Paige stay in Rosewood Hospital for the night. And Pam Fields had to promise her daughter to pick up the Californian first thing the next morning. She also reminded Emily that she had a Skype phone call with her dad scheduled in less than an hour.

Driving home, Pam Fields was glancing at her daughter in the passenger seat. Emily's mind seemed to be elsewhere, and she was biting her lips nervously.

"You really care about her, don't you?" the older woman asked.

She already knew the answer, but she wanted her daughter to talk to her, to trust her. Emily had always been more of a daddy's girl, and Pam had accepted that long ago. But she didn't want her teenage daughter to turn away from her. Yesterday's revelations had shocked her, but she still loved Emily unconditionally.

Emily looked at her mother, who had her eyes focused back on the road ahead of her. She was startled by the woman's worried and tired expression. The Rosewood teen suddenly felt the need to protect her mother. Pam had reacted rather well when she had discovered Em and Paige's relationship, all things considered. It could have been much worse, Emily thought.

The raven-haired girl took a deep breath and said in a soft but determined tone:

"Paige is really important to me."

"I see that," Pam Fields answered. "But, Emily," she added cautiously. "You're only seventeen...and so is Paige...and you two haven't known each other for long..."

Emily just nodded, her throat tight.

"And she's going back home in California in a few days," Pam said.

"I know that," Emily said in a half-trembling voice.

* * *

Emily's face brightened when she saw her father on the computer screen. Wayne Fields looked tired, but he was wearing his usual warm smile.

"Hello, Emmy," he said softly, and Emily's heart skipped a beat.

"Dad, I'm so happy to see you...I miss you so much," she stammered.

"I miss you too, Emmy," said the Army man with genuine affection.

They chatted for a while, about casual things at first, such as school, swimming, and the current weather in Texas and in Pennsylvania.

Then Wayne Fields gave his daughter the opening.

"Your mother said you've got something important to tell me."

Emily looked away from the screen, suddenly embarrassed.

"Emmy," her father gently said. "You know you can tell me anything."

Emily knew that. But still, she was a little afraid; she wanted to tell her dad about Paige, because even though they had just met, the Californian had already become a very important part of her life.

"I'm in love," she burst out, surprising herself as well as her father. _What did I just say?_

She saw the astonishment on her father's face. Whatever his wife had told him, he clearly wasn't expecting that.

Then Wayne Fields smiled and said simply, "It's wonderful, Emmy."

"Really?" Emily asked, dumbfounded.

"I'm happy for you," her father answered.

"Even if..." Emily whispered.

"Yes?" Wayne asked.

"Even if...it's a girl," Emily quickly said, before adding: "I'm...I'm gay, Dad."

It was weird, and a little frustrating, telling her father such an important and personal thing. Especially via Skype. But things didn't always turn out the way you planned them. She was aware of that now.

Her father didn't looked upset. He was still wearing the same gentle smile.

"I know that, Emmy," he said eventually.

Emily felt tears of relief streak down her face - because her dad still loved her, because he knew now, because he had probably _always _known.

"How?" Emily asked in a half-trembling voice.

The affection was obvious in her father's eyes while he explained, "You're my baby girl, Emmy, and I raised you. Even if I wasn't always around, I saw you growing up all those years. I... I saw how you were looking at Alison," he added cautiously. "And last summer, when you came back from that trip to Haiti... you were talking with such passion about this girl, Maya..."

Emily looked away from the screen. Alison had been her first love - an unrequited love, even if with Alison, you couldn't really tell. Maya had been her first girlfriend. Their relationship had only lasted one summer, but it was intense. It had ended abruptly, painfully, when Emily learnt that Maya had cheated on her.

"Things are different with Paige," she said. "It's... it's new, but it feels so... right," she said. It was difficult to find the exact words to explain her true feelings. To tell her dad how much she cared about Paige. How much she loved her.

"You want to tell me about her?" Wayne asked, and Emily nodded, wiping her tears. There was so much to say.

* * *

Paige was staring at her phone, wondering if she should text Emily or not. The raven-haired beauty was probably asleep - it was almost midnight. She decided to try her luck.

_'Hey Em, you still up_?' she texted, before realizing that sounded rather lame. She quickly sent another message: _'I miss you_.'

The answer came almost immediately.

_'I miss you too.'_

Paige smiled. _'I'd love to hear your voice, but the hospital's policy forbid phone calls at night. And there's another patient in my room now._'

'_Too bad,' _Emily texted back. _'I miss your sexy voice. And someone in your room... should I be jealous?'_

Paige's smile widened when she read the other girl's answer. She loved it when Emily was flirty via text.

_'She's seventy-eight, and her face is... let's say, olive green. I think she's got a liver problem_,' she typed.

'_Oh, sorry_,' Emily answered.

'_For her or for me?'_

_'Both.'_

A nurse entered the room, turning on the light without warning. Paige quickly hid her phone underneath the blankets.

"You're not sleeping?" the nurse asked Paige in a gruff tone.

The California girl gave the older woman her most charming smile. "I'd like to, but I'm not tired at all. Maybe it's because I've spent the whole day in bed."

The nurse frowned at the teenager, clearly wondering if the girl was making fun of her. But Paige McCullers had the most innocent look on her face, even if her brown eyes were sparkling with mischief.

The woman shrugged, and then checked on Paige's roommate. The old lady was snoring loudly. The nurse finally exited the room, turning the lights back off.

The Californian grabbed her phone back. Emily had sent her another text.

_"I talked to my dad_," the Rosewood teen had written.

Paige swallowed her saliva. _'You mean about...' _she typed.

_'Yes,_' Emily simply answered.

Paige began to text her back, but a new message came in. '_Everything's fine. We talked for a while. My dad can't wait to meet you.'_

In the half-darkness of her hospital room, lit only by the screen of her cell phone and by the lights of the medical devices, Paige felt a strange feeling growing inside her - a mix of fear and joy. She was moved by the fact that Emily wanted her to meet her dad, but she also knew that they had to talk about the future. About their future.

_"That's great_,' she texted. _'But Em...you know I'm leaving soon.'_

As soon as she hit send Paige groaned inwardly. Way to kill the mood_._

Emily's answer left her relieved and surprised at the same time.

_'Carpe Diem_,' the girl had written.

_'You know Latin?' _Paige asked.

'_No, but I saw 'Dead Poets Society.'_

'_I'm impressed, Fields. And relieved to learn that you don't only watch bad horror movies.'_

_'You're not the only one who like good movies,' _Emily answered.

The two girls went on texting each other for a while, alternating between soft words and teasing. Then Emily stated that Paige had to get some sleep. Paige protested first but finally agreed to get some rest. The girls hung up their phones, the same dreaming smile on both their faces, even if they couldn't see each other.

* * *

"I assure you, Spence," Emily said, pouting. "He was hitting on her. Like, _really_. If I hadn't barged in..."

She had managed to convince her mother to let her pick Paige up at the hospital (by chance, her first class didn't start until 10AM that morning).

To her surprise and annoyance, she had found the Californian engrossed in a close conversation with Wren Kingston. The young doctor was sitting on Paige's bed, whispering who knows what in the girl's ear. Emily's jealous eyes and mind had immediately noticed the pink cheeks and the small smile of the Oakland girl.

Spencer bit her lips. The thin brunette was sitting cross-legged on Emily's bed, her friend sitting on the window seat The two high school girls had headed to the Fields' house right after last period, eager to see Paige who had spent the day resting in bed.

"Um," Paige said. The brown-haired girl was lying on Emily's bed. "Can I just say something? Wren wasn't flirting with me. Not at all. He was just being... considerate, and, and charming," she said, blushing slightly.

"Don't worry, McCullers. You're not the first one to fall for Downton Grabby, aka Dr. Wren Kingston," Spencer said wryly.

Paige shrugged, and Emily and Spencer couldn't help but notice that the girl's cheeks were now deep red.

From the window seat, Emily threw a cushion at her. Paige managed to dodge it with a happy laugh.

"You're the only one in my heart, Em," she said, and Emily felt herself melt.

A smiling Spencer was watching the interaction between the two girls. "Hanna's right," she said. "You two are adorable. Too adorable, I would say. It's almost gross."

"Hanna is talking about us?" Emily asked, before adding, "Of course she is. It's a silly question. I assume the whole school knows about us." She averted her eyes and looked out of the window.

Paige and Spencer exchanged worried looks.

"Em?" Paige asked tentatively. But Emily gave her a reassuring smile.

"It's okay, Paige. I'm happy that we're together. I'm _proud_ that we're together. And I even want the whole world to know" she said, resolved.

Paige didn't answer, but she was beaming.

Spencer coughed. "Um, girls" she said.

"Too cheesy for you, Hastings?" Paige asked her.

The thin brunette winked at her new friend. "You guessed well, McCullers."

Paige smiled at her. She could feel that behind her wry, sarcarstic mask, Spencer Hastings was a real romantic. She patted Spencer's knee, in a playful but soothing gesture, to let the other girl know she wasn't fooled by her attitude. Spencer made a face and stick out her tongue at her.

Emily was observing her two friends. They obviously had a lot in common, and their complicity was clear. She was pleased by that, of course, but she couldn't help but feel a little jealous too. _Thank god Spence isn't gay_, she thought, before cursing herself for being so childish.

Spencer being Spencer, she didn't miss her friend's trouble.

"Don't worry, Em. I'm still playing for the_ other team_," she said with a smile.

Next to her, Paige had to bite her lips not to laugh. She found Emily really adorable when she was jealous. All things considered, she found Emily really adorable all the time.

Just then, Spencer's cell phone buzzed. The slim brunette chuckled when she read the text message. "It's Wren," she said, emphasizing the name. She glanced at Paige. "He wants to know if _Paigey_ is okay."

"See!" Emily exclaimed. "I don't believe it! He's already got a nickname for you!"

Paige frowned. 'Paigey' was the nickname her mother, and her mother only, sometimes used for her. She knew that Wren had talked with her on the phone about Paige's health condition. She cursed her mother inwardly.

"You two are really funny," Spencer said, her eyes sparkling with mischief. "Too bad I must go. I've got a Hastings family dinner to attend. Unfortunately, absence is not an option."

Emily walked Spencer to her car. When she came back to her room, she realized that Paige was now settled on the window seat. T he girl looked thoughtful.

Emily frowned. "Paige. You're supposed to stay in bed... at least, to lay down."

She had decided to give Paige her own bed for the rest of her stay, despite the other girl's protestations.

Paige looked at her, smiling. "It's okay, Em. I really feel fine now. It has always been difficult for me to stay in bed, even when I was really ill. That used to drive my mother crazy."

She motioned Emily to sit beside her. She took the black-haired girl's hand in her own and cleared her throat.

"Em," she started seriously. "We've never talked about... about after. I mean, for us."

Emily stiffened and averted her eyes. "No, we haven't," she deadpanned.

"Emily," Paige said again. "I'm leaving in two days, and..."

"It's okay, Paige," Emily cut her off. "It's nothing new. We knew that from the start. If you want it to be just...a...a vacation fling or something like that, that's fine with me."

"Is that what you want?" Paige asked, looking hurt. She had released Emily's hand.

"It's crystal clear that that's what _you_ want," Emily retorted.

Paige stood up and looked at Emily in disbelief.

"How... how can you say that?" the Californian stammered. "It's not... it's not because of Wren, is it? Because nothing happened."

Emily rolled her eyes. "It's not that. I don't care about your cute doctor."

"So what is it about?" Paige asked, confused.

Emily was feeling the anger rising inside her. Wasn't it obvious?

She stood up too and began to pace around the room, her arms crossed over her chest.

"You really want to know? Well, to begin with, we _never_ discussed me going to see you in California. You know this is a student exchange, right? The Rosewood swim team is supposed to go to California in four months. _You _are supposed to host me. So, why have you never talked about this with me? You don't want me in your home? Or...in your life?"

Paige shook her head, dumbfounded. "Em, it's not that at all," she said. "I... I can't wait to have you at my place. Really. But I never talked about it because..."

She stopped and dipped her head.

"Yes?" Emily said, her voice still tensed. "What is it? You have other secrets that you don't want me to find out? Like about Stanford? Or about your...your illness?"

She regretted her words as soon as they left her mouth. Especially when she saw an upset Paige rushing out of the bedroom without another word.

_Great. Way to go, Fields_, Emily thought, now filled with guilt and remorse.

* * *

_**A/N: I know Wren is a little out of character. Sorry. But I have a soft spot for him, so I couldn't resist ;)**_


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N: Hi everybody! Thank you so much for reading and reviewing. **

**This chapter is a little shorter than the previous ones. Hope you won't mind too much... a lot of things happened in chapters 11/12, this one is more of a transitional chapter. But I hope you'll like it... please tell me what you think! **

**Soooo, thanks to my betareader, who is doing an amazing work, here is chapter 13.**

_**Guest1**_**: Paige told Emily about her health condition in the end of chapter 8. And remember what happened at the beginning of chapter 12...**

_**jhas: **_**Yeah, besides my crush on Wren, I totally used him to make Emily jealous...I'm busted! :) About Paige, don't worry too much, even though she had a relapse in the last chapter. The girl is a fighter. And you're totally right, it's SO much more than a fling.**

_**Guest2**_**: I guess Emily was so afraid of Paige saying it was just a fling that she became defensive. **

_**xLix**_**: I'm flattered. Other readers also told me that they read the French version because they want to know what happens next. I didn't realize so many people here could read French. I'm impressed. And about the translating thing, it's a challenge but I'm really enjoying it now. Thanks for reading! (either version :) )**

_**Guest3**_**:... and I'm glad you're liking it!**

_**SouthernStateOfMind**_**: thank you! I'm so glad you liked the previous chapters. It means a lot to me (I really like your stories, and you too know a thing or two about cliffhangers... :). **

**Chapter 13**

Emily let out a sigh of relief when she realized that Paige hadn't run far. The Californian was standing on the front porch, looking out at the road. The raven-haired beauty tiptoed over to her roommate and hesitantly grazed her fingers across the other girl's shoulder.

"Paige..." she said softly.

The auburn girl turned around, and Emily was struck by the look of anxiety on Paige's face.

"I'm sorry," Emily said.

"It's okay, Emily."

"No, it's not. I shouldn't have said that. Not like this. But I was..."

"...Disappointed. Right?" Paige said in a defeated tone; it didn't sound like her.

Emily shook her head. "No, Paige, no. I just want to...to understand...why you don't trust me."

"It's not that at all, Em."

"So, what it is then? You..."

"I don't know if I can meet your expectations, Emily," Paige cut her off.

The Rosewood teen furrowed her brows. She hadn't seen that coming. "What? What do you mean?"

Paige sighed. "It's...stupid," she said in a weak voice, looking away.

Emily could feel Paige's vulnerability. She moved forward and softly stroked Paige's cheek with her fingers. "Look at me, Paige. And tell me what's going on exactly in that complicated brain of yours," she said in a soft voice, earning a small smile from the Californian.

She waited for Paige to raise her eyes and look at her. She was struck by the intensity in the girl's brown eyes.

"Okay," Paige said, taking a deep breath. "First, you have to know that...that my life isn't as perfect as you seem to think it is."

Emily wanted to protest, but she just nodded, not wanting to interrupt Paige.

"I...I fight with my parents, a lot. Well, with my dad, most of the time. It can be...really tense sometimes. We are both pigheaded, I guess," the California girl said with an apologetic grin.

"Okay," Emily said. "I get it. But...you think that I never fight with Pam? We tried to behave like civilized people because you're here, that's all." She winked at Paige, in an attempt to lighten the mood.

"It's not the only thing..." Paige said. She motioned to the street. "All that... I mean, where I live in Oakland, it's not like this. Not like your house, or Spencer's. It's...not as nice...it's not that kind of neighborhood." She closed her eyes, biting her lips. _I feel so lame_.

"For someone so smart, you can be really dumb sometimes, Paige McCullers." Emily said after a while, as she had guessed the other girl's thoughts.

"What?" Paige said, startled.

"You really think that I care about that? Do you really think so poorly of me? You haven't understood yet that I _want_ to be with you, everytime, everywhere?" Emily said with determination.

A small smile appeared on Paige's face. "...Really, Em?"

"Yes, really. Do I have to say it again?"

Paige's smile widened. "Um, yes, definitely. As often as possible."

"You're impossible, McCullers," Emily said.

Paige took her hand and squeezed it, her intense gaze still focused on Emily. The two girls sat next to each other on the porch. Emily laid her head on Paige's shoulder. The Californian sighed contentedly. Her fears, pointless or serious, seemed to vanish when the dark-haired girl was by her side. Emily dropped a quick kiss on Paige's cheek, and then another one, longer, on the other girl's neck, just under her ear. Paige couldn't help but shiver in pleasure.

"You're not afraid that the neighbors can see us, Fields?" she asked in a half-teasing, half-worried tone.

"Well, I'm pretty sure that old Mrs. Frompton is spying at us from her house on the other side of the street," Emily said. "She's got nothing else to do, and she likes to gossip."

"And?"

"And, I don't care," Emily answered. "I told you. I'm proud to be with you."

She scooted closer to Paige. The California girl felt herself growing warm. _I could get used to that._

* * *

"Okay, Em," Hanna said. "When are you going to _do it_, you and McCullers? There's not much time left."

"Excuse me?!" Emily gasped. "Hanna!"

"What?" the blonde said, shrugging. "Paige is leaving tomorrow. _Tomorrow_, Emily. For freaking California. I'm just saying."

"Well, please, don't say," Spencer said wryly.

Hanna rolled her eyes, and chose to ignore both Spencer and Aria, who were waving at their blonde friend in an attempt to tell her to drop it. When Hanna Marin had something in mind...

The three girls had their eyes on Emily, who was looking down, staring at her food tray. Much to her friends' surprise, a small smile formed on the beautiful black-haired girl's face.

Emily raised her head. Her eyes were sparkling. "Maybe we're already _doing it_. Everywhere, and all the time."

Hanna shrieked. "Fields! I don't believe my ears! You rascal!"

Emily burst out in laughter, making the other students in the cafeteria turned around and looked at them.

Hanna was staring at her friends, mouth agape.

"You left her speechless, Em," Spencer said.

"Which is no small feat," Aria added.

Hanna stuck her tongue at them. "I get it, guys. You're pulling my leg."

"Who knows," Spencer said. "With Emily, you can't be sure. She's the perfect daughter, but she sneaks out at night to hang out with the rebels."

"I don't do that anymore," Emily objected.

"Yes, thanks to _Paigey_," Hanna said. "The irresistible Paige McCullers. Who is sleeping in your bedroom, very close to you, every night."

"Here she goes again," Spencer said.

Emily opened her mouth to answer, but she caught sight of the girl who had just entered the cafeteria. Paige McCullers was heading right to their table, a beaming smile on her face.

"What are you talking about?" she asked the girls as she sat down next to Emily.

"We're talking about your feats, McCullers," Hanna answered lively. "Real or not, we don't know yet."

"What?" Paige said, noticing Emily's reddening cheeks. "By the way, I won't break any records today. The doctors didn't give me the green light."

Hanna giggled. Spencer frowned at her, but she had difficulty containing her own laughter.

Of course, Emily and her friends knew that Paige was referencing the swim meet that was supposed to end the Oakland swimmers' stay in Rosewood. The two schools were going to compete against each other, and it was a big deal for both teams.

They all fell silent. The girls knew how much Paige, with her competitive spirit, had been looking forward to this event.

Spencer bit her lips. Aria looked really sorry, and for once even Hanna had nothing to add. And Emily...she was staring at Paige, her brown eyes even more intense than usual.

"Oh, it's fine, it wasn't really a surprise," Paige said lightly. "Rain check, Fields, " she added, blinking at Emily. "I guess I have to wait a little while longer before I can beat you," she concluded, a teasing smile on her lips.

The bell rang, indicating the start of the next class. Before leaving the table, Paige leaned over Emily and whispered in the girl's ear: "You are going to beat them. All of them. Including Shana."

* * *

Usually, Emily enjoyed Spanish class. It was actually one of her favorites. But today time seemed to have stopped. The black-haired girl's mind could only focus on one subject - Paige.

She knew that the countdown had started. The Californian was leaving tomorrow, and Emily was feeling the need to be with her girlfriend - not only an emotional need, a physical one too.

She and Paige weren't _doing it _\- as Hanna had nicely put it. But their makeout sessions were definitely getting hotter.

This very morning, before first period, they had kissed passionately in the back of the library -the foreign books section- and between classes, they had made out in the supply closet. Their kisses were more and more heated, and their respective hands were now roaming in each other's hair and under their t-shirts.

Emily, lost in her thoughts (and even in her fantasies) suddenly let out a deep sigh. This wasn't lost on her Spanish teacher, Mr. Hernandez, and on the other students, who all turned to look at her.

Emily, feeling mortified, as if her thoughts were obvious, dipped her head and stammered "_sorry_", an apology that was visibly enough for Mr Hernandez.

But Spencer, who was seated in the row behind Emily, had to bite her bottom lip not to laugh. She had an idea of where Emily's thoughts had wandered.

When the bell rang at last, Emily jumped to her feet and started gathering her notebook and her other belongings hurriedly.

"Chill out, Em," Spencer said in a half-serious, half-mocking tone. "Paige is with her team right now, anyway."

"I know that," Emily answered dryly, cursing herself for blushing. Even if she wasn't allowed yet to swim again, Paige had wanted to be with her teammates before the meet, to deliver them a 'motivational speech', as she had called it.

Spencer put a soothing hand on Emily's arm. "Em," she said. "I have something to discuss with you, if you're okay."

Emily raised her brows, surprised, but just nodded and followed her friend in the hallway.

The two girls found a quiet spot in the courtyard. Emily, perplexed, looked at Spencer who was rummaging through her messenger bag. The thin brunette finally displayed several documents on the table in front of her. There were pamphlets and flyers.

"What is all this?" the Rosewood swimmer asked.

"University pamphlets, doofus," Spencer retorted, as if the answer was obvious. "It is high time to seriously think about all of this."

Emily sighed. University was Spencer's biggest obsession. Not that it was a problem for the younger Hastings, who had basically secured her early admission to several Ivy League Colleges.

"I've already sent my application in to Danby," she said.

"I know," Spencer said. "But, Emily. Seriously. _Danby_?"

"Their swim program is excellent." Emily objected.

"I'm sure it is," Spencer said, not looking convinced at all. "But you can aim higher, Em. You _must _aim higher."

Emily looked at the pamphlets in front of her. "Berkeley? UCLA?" she asked in a skeptical tone. "Why are all these colleges at the other end of the country?"

"And Stanford, don't forget Stanford," Spencer said, smiling broadly. "But you're right. All these great colleges are far away. And they are located in California, as you already know."

Emily glanced at her friend. "Spence," she said.

"Yes?"

"Did you talk about all of this with Paige?"

"...Maybe a little," Spencer confessed with an apologetic smile.

Emily shook her head. She was moved by her friends' attention, but she also felt a little annoyed to learn that Spencer and Paige had talked about _her_ college future without her.

"I don't think I could get into Stanford anyway," she said, keeping her voice neutral.

"That's where you're wrong," Spencer said firmly. "You actually have great chances to get in. And you won't know if you don't try. Look, I even made a spreadsheet showing all your options. With percentages."

Emily couldn't help but laugh. "You won't give up, will you?"

"You know me," Spencer retorted. "And McCullers can be very persuasive."

Emily looked closely at Spencer's spreadsheet. She looked interested, but worried too, Spencer noticed.

"Maybe..." Emily started, her own insecurities starting to pop up again. "Maybe Paige... doesn't want me to go to Stanford with her."

"Of course," Spencer said in a wry tone. "And _I_ don't want to get into an Ivy League College. Em, this girl is just crazy about you. And who wouldn't want to get into Stanford anyway?"

"It's just that...I didn't even think it was possible for me," Emily said. "Stanford is a top university. And going to the same college as Paige... it's like a dream."

"Have you talked with her about this, Em?" Spencer asked in a softer tone of voice than usual. "About the future? About you going to visit her in California, and about your college choices?"

"A little," Emily responded. "I'm going to California with the team next March, as planned. And Paige told me about this swim camp next spring... she's going there, and she'd like me to come too. I've already talked to my father about it, he seems okay with the idea."

"That's great, Em!" Spencer exclaimed. "You're making plans! You're a real couple!"

Emily looked at her friend with a weird look.

"Okay," Spencer said when realization hit her. "I'm beginning to sound like Hanna, aren't I?"

"Barely," Emily said, trying not to laugh. She was happy that her friends, and especially Spencer, liked her girlfriend so much. And now, going to college with Paige didn't seem so unrealistic. _Everything is possible, if you really want it_.


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N: Hi guys! I hope you're still there! Here is chapter 14. If you've read or checked out the French version, you already know there is only one chapter left after this one.**

**A big thank you to my betareader who was a big help, especially with the swim meet part (it was tricky for me to write).  
Enjoy (I hope), and review please!**

_**Guest1**_**: Yes, the girls are all team Paily! :)**

_**Guest2**_**: Yes, and it was about time! With their rocky beginning and all...;)**

_**jhas**_**: thank you (again) for your awesome review, as always. Yes, you're right, Emily is going to visit Paige in California in a few months (with all the swim team - that should be funny). About colleges for Em, you will find some hints in this chapter. ;)**

_**SouthernStateOfMind**_**: you're absolutely right, about Em. I'm glad that you pointed that out, because it's what I wanted to express. Paige was the "trigger", if I can say (I don't know if it's the right word), and she arrived in Rosewood right when Emily needed something -or someone- to react, because she was in a really bad place. Her timing was perfect :), and with her help, Emily had the courage to change and really be herself. I'm proud of her. :)**

**Chapter 14**

"I don't understand why Paige can't sit with us," Hanna whined from her place on the bleachers next to Aria.

"Because she is a member of the Jets, and she has to support _her _team," Spencer retorted. "At least when Em isn't swimming..." she added with a wink.

The younger Hastings waved to Paige, who was sitting with her team on the opposite bleachers. The Californian was wearing the red and gold Oakland tracksuit, and had her hair up in a ponytail. A smile lit up her face when she noticed her Rosewood friends. She waved back at Spencer, and some of her teammates looked at her curiously.

Emily was standing on the poolside, surrounded by the other Rosewood swimmers. She was trying to focus on her first race of the day. She had followed her usual routine - a series of stretches in the locker room, her headphones at full blast. She even had a "swim meet" playlist. Her teammates and Coach Fulton didn't mind; they knew that Emily needed to be in her own bubble before a meet.

The noise was deafening, the atmosphere was electric, and the stands were almost full. Most of the spectators were rooting for Rosewood, but the Oakland team also had their supporters, less numerous but, in some cases, noisier than the locals.

It wasn't official, but both coaches had implied that some college scouts would be there. The seniors, including Emily, would be especially watched.

Emily was trying to get her mind off the idea, but she was feeling increasingly nervous. She had only seen Paige very briefly in the locker room, just the time for the auburn girl to hug her and to whisper a few words in her ear: "Swim for yourself, Em, and have fun."

A voice came through the speakers, asking for silence. The meet was about to start. Emily went to sit on her team's bench. She had to wait for her first race; she was supposed to be the team's main weapon. She was anchoring the main relays, as well as swimming the 200-meter and 100-meter freestyle.

Sydney sat beside her. The younger swimmer looked tense, which was unusual. She could be very talkative, even cocky, in the locker room, but Emily had also noticed that she wasn't so sure of herself when it came to big events. She put a soothing hand on her teammate's arm. "Relax, Syd," she said in a soft voice. "Everything's gonna be fine." Sydney gave her a tight smile. "I don't know how you do it. You seem so calm, Emily," she muttered.

"Try to focus on your breathing. Try not to get distracted by everything going on," Emily said. She knew that it was easier said than done. But as a senior swimmer, she had to help the younger swimmers to cope with the pressure.

Emily was feeling surprisingly relaxed now that she was around the pool. The last few days had been a rollercoaster of emotions, and she had sometimes felt overwhelmed, especially since Paige's accident. But now that she was about to compete, she felt completely calm. And strong.

When Coach Fulton called her star swimmer for her first race, Emily adjusted her swim cap and her goggles and walked over to the starting block.

At the sound of the whistle, she shot into the pool like a rocket. She led the race from start to finish, killing the suspense, while the Rosewood supporters cheered. She was literally pulled out of the pool by her teammates, who were in awe. Coach Fulton had a satisfied smile on her lips, but the older woman quickly reminded her swimmers to concentrate on their own races. The competition had barely begun.

Emily sat back on the bench, her towel around her shoulders. She took off her goggles and looked around for the first time since the meet had started. The bleachers were crowded, but she quickly managed to spot her friends among the Rosewood supporters. Hanna looked like especially excited. She was carrying a banner with "Let's go Em, Let's go!" written on it. Emily smiled fondly. The bubbly blonde had put some stars, hearts and gold glitters all around the sign.

Emily then took a look across the pool, where the Oakland supporters were gathered. She saw Paige immediately; the auburn girl was staring right at her.

The Californian was smiling. It was a warm and fond smile, and even from the other side of the pool, Emily could feel their bond. She smiled too, their silent dialog even more intense than the noise that was echoing through the pool.

Emily's next race was the 200m medley relay. Emily was swimming anchor, a very important spot, and she understood her role perfectly. But the Oakland team was renowned for their relays.

The Californians didn't disappoint. Shana, who was swimming the butterfly, did especially well. She put her team in the lead, hitting the touch pad well before the Rosewood swimmer. Emily, as the anchor, did her best to make up the distance, and did close the gap considerably, but she hit the wall two seconds after the Oakland swimmer. The crowd, which had cheered for Emily during the whole race, gave her a standing ovation when she got out of the pool.

But the raven-haired girl was still feeling disappointed. Rosewood had lost the relay, and she knew that if she wanted to impress the scouts, she had to win races or break records. She was beginning to feel a little tired, and she was getting tense.

Coach Fulton, aware of the growing frustration of her star swimmer, pulled her to the side. "Emily," said Fulton in a soothing voice. "You're doing really great. All you have to do is stay focused. Don't change anything."

Emily nodded. The coach patted her shoulder. "Take a break and just relax on the bench for now. Your next race is not until the end of the meet."

Meanwhile, in the stands, Paige was having a hard time staying still. She had cheered for her teammates, of course. She had to; she was co-captain, after all. But during Emily's races, she had remained outwardly calm. Inwardly, though, her heart had been racing. And she couldn't help but beam when Emily had won her freestyle race. She had also been really impressed by Emily's performance during the relay even though her girlfriend hadn't been able to catch up to the Oakland swimmer. Paige had had to restrain herself from shouting encouragement to her girl.

Paige had noticed that a few scouts were there - she had met a few of them during previous swim events. She had watched them out of the corner of her eye during Emily's races, satisfied to see them writing notes on their pads after Emily had won the free style race. She had also noticed that Emily looked a little sore after the relay, and the brunette's exchange with Fulton had not been lost on her.

Emily and Shana, the star swimmers of their respective teams, were supposed to compete during the last race of the day, the 200 meter freestyle.

When Emily got up from the bench and headed to the starting blocks, Paige suddenly stood up. The auburn girl, wearing the red and gold Oakland tracksuit, then put her right hand on her chest, as if she was going to salute the national anthem.

But instead, she stared right into Emily's eyes, and the Rosewood teen, locking eyes with her, quickly did the same gesture, much to her coach and teammates' surprise. There was such love and pride in Paige's big brown eyes that Emily felt invincible all of the sudden.

She got into position on the starting block, focusing on the water in front of her, trying to visualize her race in her mind. To her right, Shana snuck glimpse at her.

At the start, the two rivals dove into the water like rockets, leaving the other swimmers far behind. The 200-meter freestyle was a quick race, with only four lengths. It was a full sprint, start to finish. The two girls were determined to do their best. Shana had more powerful strokes, but Emily was gliding through the water with natural grace and agility.

At the end of the first length, Shana was slightly ahead, and the Rosewood supporters began to cheer louder for their hometown favorite.

Spencer, Hanna and Aria were up on their feet, the blonde girl waving her sign and shouting her support. Spencer looked tense, but her eyes were sparkling with excitement, and Aria would have liked to shout, too, but her breath was caught in her throat.

After the second length, the positions switched, Emily now leading the race by a few strokes. The two girls remained close over the third length. It would be a fight to the finish. The last length was the most thrilling. The tall black girl seemed to gain ground over Emily, eventually overtaking her. From the stands, Hanna shouted Emily's name even louder.

Paige was still standing between the Californian supporters, motionless and silent at first. But when Shana got ahead of Emily, she jumped on her feet and started to shout her girlfriend's name. The California supporters and the Oakland swimmers next to her were rooting for Shana, of course, but Paige didn't care anymore. The whole pool was a cacophony of cheering and screams. You couldn't tell who was cheering for whom now.

A few meters from the wall, Emily increased her speed and began to catch up on Shana, stroke by stroke. While the audience screamed, she hit the wall half a second before the Californian.

The Rosewood supporters went nuts. Hanna was jumping wildly and the bubbly blonde even managed to throw her banner into the air, the object falling back in the mid span between the bleachers. Luckily no one was harmed.

Emily was pulled straight out of the pool by their teammates, who were ecstatic. The Rosewood teen was smiling, but she had only one thought in mind. She took off her goggles and her swim cap, her beautiful raven hair bouncing off her shoulders.

She looked around her, searching for Paige. When she finally saw her, her smile widened. Paige was beaming, and her eyes were full of pride and love. Emily winked at her, and let out a small laugh. Their brief exchange wasn't lost on their respective coaches, who shared a knowing look.

Emily suddenly felt a hand on her shoulder, and turned back to face Shana.

"So, Fields," the California girl said, looking stern. "First you steal my girlfriend, and then my swimming records?"

The tall black girl burst into laughter at Emily's panicked look. "Relax, Emily. I'm kidding. I'm talking about my ex-girlfriend... and my ex-records, now. Honestly, congrats. I guess you really took advantage of your training sessions with McCullers," she added with a wink.

Emily, dumbfounded, didn't have the time to answer. Shana was already gone, followed by her teammates.

In the stands, Emily's friends were still on cloud nine. Spencer was smiling with pride, as is she had won the race herself. Aria's cheeks were red from excitement, and Hanna couldn't stop talking.

"Love can really give you wings," she said for the third or fourth time in a row.

"Hanna, that's totally cliché," Spencer said.

"Maybe it is," Hanna retorted. "But in this case, it's true."

Spencer had to admit she was right.

* * *

The atmosphere was euphoric in the Rosewood locker room. The girls' eyes were sparkling with excitement and pride, and Coach Fulton was all smiles - something that didn't happen often. Her team had won the meet, thanks to Emily and her amazing last race. The raven-haired beauty had been congratulated again and again by her teammates and her coach. Fulton had even revealed to her that a college scout was waiting for her outside the room. When they heard that, the other swimmers squealed - they were admiring, but maybe a little envious too. Especially Sydney, who was staring at Emily in awe.

Emily got dressed quickly, put her belongings in her sports bag and left the locker room. She wanted to see Paige now, but she couldn't ignore a college scout. _What if it was Stanford?_

But when the young man handed her his business card, Emily immediately recognized the gold and blue from Berkeley.

"Congratulations on your performance, Miss Fields," the scout said with a warm smile. "UC Berkeley is looking forward to welcoming talented students and swimmers like you."

Even if Emily knew it was a typical scout speech, she couldn't help but feel flattered. She had never been approached by college scouts from prestigious universities before.

Emily and the man talked for a few minutes, the scout telling her about Berkeley, the outstanding facilities and the famous swimmers who had been part of the team, including Olympic medalists. The scout managed to ask Emily if she had had any contacts with other colleges, and the Rosewood teen honestly answered that she had only applied to Danby for now. The man's smile widened. "Well, we'd love to have you," he concluded. "We'll keep in touch."

He had barely left when a tornado in a red and yellow tracksuit threw herself on Emily, covering her face and her hair with kisses, not minding they were in a public place at all.

"Emily!" Paige said, her eyes shining. "You were amazing!"

"Thanks to you," Emily said simply, her cheeks a little red. The Oakland coach wasn't far away, and the young woman was now looking at the two girls with a knowing smile.

Paige gave her coach an (almost) apologetic face, and took Emily's hand, reaching for the nearest bench.

"You're not going to have problems with your team, McCullers, if you're so happy that your opponents won?" Emily teased.

Paige let out a happy laugh. "I don't think so. I promised them I'd catch up. And to make the team win, as soon as I'm back in the pool. Because, Em..." she added with a wink, "I hope you realize you only won because I wasn't swimming, right?"

"You're so cocky. And such a dork," Emily said, shaking her head. But she was smiling.

"I am. But you like this dork, right?" Paige asked.

"Actually, I do, McCullers, "Emily said fondly.

"Great," Paige said, beaming. "I'm so proud of you, Em," she added in a more serious tone. "And that guy... he was a college scout, wasn't he?"

"Yes," Emily said with pride. "I don't know yet, but we might... compete against each other soon in the California swimming championships."

For once, Paige was speechless. Emily handed her the scout's card.

The auburn girl let out a cry of joy. "Do you know what this means, Emily?" she asked, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "If Berkeley wants you, Stanford will, too," Paige said with confidence. "Em! We could be in the same college next year!"

"I don't know, Paige," Emily said. "Stanford hasn't asked me yet. And well, I'm not even sure I can get into Berkeley. It's a top-tier university. I don't know if I can figure it out..."

"Spencer will help you with that! And me too. Emily, it can _really _work."

The Californian was so adorable, in this very moment, that Emily answered her with a sweet kiss on the lips.


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N: Well. Dear readers. Chapter 15 is the last chapter. I know. But it's a pretty long one, so I hope you'll forgive me. As a reader, I'm always frustrated when a story is over (though, on second thoughts, un-finished stories are WAY more frustrating...). **

**I just wanted to THANK YOU ALL for reading and reviewing. It meant the world to me, really. It was a challenge for me to post a story that I had to translate from my original French version. I didn't know if I could make it or not. And when I realized some people from all around the world started to read **_**and**_** to like my story, I couldn't believe it. And I felt so lucky.**

**I want you all to know that it was possible because of the amazing work of my betareader. Thanks to her, I was able to post a mistake-free story (maybe there are still some typos here and there, but they're all mine!...).**

**So, **_**shipallllltheships**_**, thank you! :)**

**Well, wow. I'm getting all emotional there. But believe me, it's something to post the last chapter of a story!**

**Read it, enjoy it. And please, review, tell me what you think, don't be afraid: ;)**

_**jhas**_**: Yes, Emily did great, didn't she? And you're right, there is a big possibility that they will attend the same college. Or nearby colleges. :) Thank you so much for your support and for reviewing each chapter. It's really great for a writer to see that people care and take the time to review (I didn't realize that until I began to write myself).**

_**Guest1**_**: Good! I'm glad you liked it! :)**

_**Guest2**_**: thank you for sticking with this story. And you're right about Hanna...**

_**Guest3**_**: thank you! I'm glad you liked chapter 14, I hope you'll like this one as well. **

**The lyrics of the song belong to Lady Antebellum. One of Paige's favorite band (and mine, too).**

**Chapter 15**

Emily had a talk with Coach Fulton just after the meet. The older woman congratulated her swimmer warmly, and told her, "If you keep improving your times like that, Emily, I think that your only problem will be choosing between colleges."

"A scout from Berkeley already talked to me," the Rosewood teen confessed. She wanted to be totally honest with her coach. College scouts weren't supposed to talk to the swimmers directly - at least, in theory.

"That's what I heard," Fulton said with a smile. "Emily, if I could give you a piece of advice, it would be for you to think this all through. You don't have to rush. You can take your time and study all the possibilities. And you can count on me, of course."

"Thanks," Emily answered with a grateful smile. "I'm sure I will need some help deciding. When it's time, I mean. Thank you so much, Coach."

"You're welcome," Fulton said. "Now, you can go. I'm certain your penpal is waiting for you," the coach concluded with a knowing smile. "By the way, this exchange sure was a success."

She walked Emily to the door, not missing the sudden blush on the teenager's cheeks. Fulton waved to Paige, eagerly waiting for Emily in the lobby.

"I've got a surprise for you," Emily told Paige as the two girls were heading to the high school exit. The big dark eyes of the Rosewood teen were sparkling, and she was especially proud of what she had prepared for Paige -with a little help from her friends.

"Really, Em?" Paige asked, beaming.

"Of course. Do you think you're the only one capable of setting up the perfect date?" Emily answered with a wink.

"Oooh, the 'perfect date'", Paige teased. "Such a challenge. And what exactly do you have in mind, Fields?"

"You'll see," Emily said simply, not wanting to spoil the surprise. The two girls were now outside the school, and Emily pointed out to the parking lot. Paige looked around and recognized Toby's truck - the very one they had used for their first date at the fair. Emily opened the passenger door and motioned Paige to get in the car with a bow. Then she climbed behind the wheel, and glanced at her phone before starting the engine.

"I'm checking the weather," Emily said. The California girl stared at her with an inquiring look.

"My surprise can't have rain," Emily added.

"I guess I'm not allowed to ask questions," Paige stated. She didn't want to, though. Just the thought of Emily organizing 'the perfect date' for them was enough. She was already feeling butterflies in her stomach.

"Nope. Well, you can always ask, but I won't answer you," Emily said. "A little patience, McCullers."

Emily headed down Rosewood's main street and turned right, towards the woods. The old truck was now on a small road leading to the hill. Emily was driving with ease, a small smile on her lips. Paige couldn't help but stare at her. Even in some casual jeans and her blue Shark hoodie, Emily was glowing. _Everything is so perfect_, Paige thought. _She is so perfect_. _If only I didn't have to leave tomorrow_...

She tried to chase the thought out of her mind, and to focus on the present moment. All that mattered was right now, this moment with Emily.

After about a mile, Emily parked the truck on the side of the road. "We have to walk from here," she stated simply, motioning to a small path on her left. She opened the car trunk and grabbed a basket with a towel on it. "Can you take that, please?" she asked Paige, nodding towards what seemed to be a rolled-up blanket. The Californian obeyed without question, but she now had a pretty clear idea of what Emily had in mind.

Emily led the way on the steep and winding path. After a while, the two girls took a small track on their right. "We're almost there," Emily said. Paige just nodded, smiling, even though Emily, behind her, couldn't see. A minute later, they were standing in a small clearing with trees on all sides. The meadow was covered with wildflowers.

"It's beautiful," Paige said, her breath short, not because she was tired, but because the place really was amazing. It was wild and reassuring at the same time, like a cocoon hidden away from the outside world.

"It's my special place," Emily confessed. "I usually come here...when I need to reflect on things. And when...when I want to be alone," she added, looking at Paige.

The California girl, moved by her girlfriend's honesty, took her by the hand. "Is this the first time that you've brought someone here?" she asked softly.

"Yes," Emily answered. "I thought...that it would be the perfect place for a, uh...a romantic picnic," she said, blushing.

"It sounds perfect to me, Em," Paige said with a tender smile. "And I do love picnics."

The two girls laid the blanket on the ground under the trees. Emily sat down and opened the picnic basket. "The girls took care of the lunch," she explained. "I don't even know what we're having."

"Everyone is in the plot, I get it," Paige teased.

Emily took a bottle out of the basket. "We've got champagne!" she exclaimed. She took a closer look to the post-it on the bottle. "Spencer snuck it out from her parents' wine stash," she said with a small laugh.

Paige raised a brow. "Champagne? Do you plan on seducing me, Fields?"

"I'm pretty sure I've already done that," Emily retorted boldly, her eyes sparkling with mischief.

"Let me think about it...um, yes, I suppose you could say that," Paige said with her most charming smile. "I must confess that I'm totally into you, Emily Fields," she added.

Emily stuck her tongue out at her and, without warning, leaned forward to kiss Paige on the lips. The bottle of champagne, luckily not yet open, fell on the blanket next to the girls.

The kisses were becoming more heated, with tongues dancing and hands roaming under clothes. Emily moaned into Paige's mouth when she felt the Californian's fingers slipping slowly under the hem of her shirt and grazing her hips softly, before traveling up to her breasts. When Paige's hand moved back down and began to undo Emily's belt, the dark-haired girl tensed and moved back. Paige stopped dead in her tracks.

"I'm sorry, Em," she stammered. "I didn't want to rush things. It's just that...you are so...and I feel so..." She closed her eyes and groaned inwardly, frustrated by her inability to form a coherent sentence.

"I know," Emily said with a smile. "I feel the same thing." She pressed a chaste kiss on Paige's lips, and stroked her cheek fondly. "I'm not sure I could stop if we keep going," Emily confessed. "And I think we should wait...I know we are not going to see each other before months but I...I want our first time to be really special."

She studied Paige's face carefully, trying to guess what the other girl was thinking. Paige's big brown eyes were even more intense than usual. The Californian was breathing short and her cheeks had reddened.

Paige closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Emily was relieved when she saw a small smile appearing on her girlfriend's face. "You're right, Em. I agree. But...it _will_ be special, you know? Because...because it's us," she said, blushing more deeply.

Emily pulled her closer, and Paige buried her face in her neck. "You're so cute, McCullers. And you're a romantic, too," Emily whispered in Paige's ear.

"I know," Paige admitted. "But don't tell everybody, okay?" Emily smiled tenderly.

"I'm so lucky. To have met you, I mean," Paige said in a vulnerable voice.

"I'm the lucky one," Emily answered. She really meant that. She hadn't felt this happy in a long time. She could really feel that it was the beginning of their story, and even if they had to be apart very soon, the future was theirs.

The two swimmers remained silent for a moment. Emily was gently stroking Paige's auburn hair. Then the two girls sat up and tried to straighten their clothes a little. Paige took away some blades of grass from Emily's hair, making the other girl shiver from the touch.

"I guess we should eat," Emily finally said, opening the picnic basket. "I'm rather hungry. What about you?"

"Not really," Paige confessed. "But I think we have to savor what the girls prepared for us. Whatever it is. Besides champagne," she added with a teasing smile.

"Well, let's see," Emily said, taking out some sandwiches from the basket, along with chips and a bowl of chicken salad. "Okay, we have enough food to feed an army. Oh great, some M&amp;Ms! I love them. And some strawberries! And...whipped cream? Oh, there's a note on it. It says..._'use it wisely'_. What?"

"Oh god. What did they expect us to do, exactly?" Paige asked, before bursting into laughter at the look on Emily's face. The raven-haired girl looked mortified.

"I'm sure it's Hanna. I'm going to kill her." Emily mumbled.

"Forget it," Paige said, who couldn't help but laugh. "I'm sure it was well-intentioned."

"You don't say," Emily replied. "I'm going to check if there is a wire in that basket. Or worse, a camera."

Paige's clear laugh resounded again in the clearing, making the birds in the trees flying away.

* * *

Paige and Emily arrived a little late to the party that was thrown in honor of the Oakland swim team's last night in Rosewood. The event was taking place in the high school's gymnasium. The two girls had to make a first stop at the Fields' house to change their outfits. Paige was wearing black pants and a slim-fitted grey shirt. Emily had on a green dress and a short denim jacket with a red brooch. She had lent Paige a silver pendant necklace that fit perfectly well with her outfit.

The majority of the students at the party were from Rosewood, but the California girls were the loudest and most demonstrative by far.

As soon as they entered the hall holding hands, Paige was 'kidnapped' by her own team. They had one thing in mind: making her play beer-pong, a game she was very good at, according to her teammates.

Emily had let go of Paige's hand with reluctance, and was now scanning the room, looking for her friends. She was relieved to see them standing near the buffet.

Hanna had a broad smile on her face and a huge plastic cup in her hands. Emily hoped it wasn't alcohol -which was theoretically forbidden during high school parties, but was in fact circulating covertly. Sober Hanna was already quite a handful, and Drunk Hanna was totally unmanageable.

As if she had wanted to confirm Emily's worst fears, the bubbly blonde literally flown into the dark-haired girl's arms.

"Emmm!" she purred, her arms around her friend's neck. "You're here at last! So, how was the romantic picnic with McCullers? Lukewarm, hot, or...very hot?" she said, a little too loudly for Emily's taste.

The taller girl took a step back and glanced around them. "Hanna," she whispered. "You're not expecting details, are you?"

"Of course I do!" Hanna exclaimed. "I want every detail! So, was Paigey _good_?"

Behind them, Spencer cringed, and Aria buried her face in her hands.

"Hanna," Spencer said. "You remember our little talk about privacy?"

"Please, Hastings," Hanna said, rolling her eyes. "I tell you everything about me and Caleb. Where, when, and how we do it."

"That's the point," Aria said. "We don't _really_ need to know everything."

"Exactly," Spencer added. "We so do not need this."

Hanna pouted and said, "I just want Emily to be happy."

The raven-haired girl smiled fondly at her friend. Hanna could be annoying and very nosy sometimes, but the blonde really loved her friends with all her heart.

"_I am _happy, Hanna, believe me."

"You do look happy," Aria said in her soft voice, her big brown eyes studying her friend's face. The small brunette squeezed Emily's hand briefly, and the taller girl smiled at her.

"Actually," Hanna resumed, winking at Emily. "You're not Rosewood's favorite it-couple anymore."

"What?" Emily said, dumbfounded. "What are you talking about?"

Her three friends exchanged amused looks before bursting into laughter.

"Can somebody explain?" Emily asked. She was feeling slightly irritated now.

"There's been a vote," Spencer clarified. "About the hottest couple. After the swim meet, you and Paige got the highest number of votes. Everyone seems to think that you're so cute," she said, emphasizing the last two words. Hanna and Aria giggled.

"But Hanna's right...for once," Spencer said, earning a stern look from the blonde. "Since the meet...you've been overthrown by an unexpected pair," Spencer added, motioning to the center of the ballroom.

A stunned Emily then discovered Shana dancing closely with a Rosewood girl. All around them, a circle of students was enjoying the show, some boys even whistling.

Emily was frozen, her mouth wide open. She had just recognized the girl. "Jenna Marshall? And Shana? _Really?"_

Jenna was a strange girl that Emily and her friends barely knew. She had an aura of mystery around her, and she was a little bit intimidating to say the least. She wasn't one of the popular girls in school, but nobody tried to mess up with her. She was quite the loner at Rosewood High, but she didn't seem to care. She preferred to hang out with college students anyway.

"Rumor has it they've been together since Shana's arrival in Rosewood," Hanna said with excitement. "But nobody knew. Til tonight. Boy, this school exchange was _really_ something. Too bad it's over." She bit her lips when she saw the sadness on Emily's face. "Sorry, Em."

"It's okay, Han," Emily said. "I know they're leaving. But it doesn't mean it's the end. Paige and I are going to see each other again," she added with a brave smile.

"And...just so I know...who had the idea of this stupid vote in the first place?" she asked. She looked pointedly at Hanna.

But the bubbly blonde raised her hands and shook her head vigorously. "It's not me! I promise, Emily! I had nothing to do with it!"

"I think it was Noel Kahn," Aria whispered. "That's what I heard anyway."

"It's not surprising at all," Spencer said. "Totally a thing that jerk would do."

"I hope he isn't here," Emily said, looking around them. Noel Kahn was a friend of Alison's, and Emily hadn't spoken to the blonde since their confrontation at school a few days before.

"No. He said he has better things to do than attending a high school party," Aria told her friends. "And _she_ isn't here either," she whispered to Emily. The taller girl nodded, feeling relieved. She knew she would have to talk to Alison at some point. But not tonight. Tonight, all that mattered was she and Paige.

As soon as her teammates allowed her to escape from their beer-pong marathon, Paige made a quick stop to talk to the DJ before joining Emily and her friends. She had a pretty clear idea of the kind of music she wanted for her first dance with Emily.

When the first notes of Lady Antebellum's hit, _'Dancing Away With My Heart_', started to play, a few students frowned, but most of them clapped their hands, excited at the prospect of the first slow song of the evening.

Paige had her eyes glued to Emily's. She crossed the dance floor and gently took her girlfriend's hand. Emily put her arms around Paige's neck, the Californian putting her own arms on Emily's waist. The two girls began to slowly sway to the rhythm of the music:

_**'I finally asked you to dance on the last slow song**_

_**Beneath that moon that was really a disco ball**_

_**I can still feel my head on your shoulder**_

_**And hoping that song would never be over...'**_

Other couples were dancing next to them, but most of the students were staring at Emily and Paige in awe. They seemed fascinated by their obvious chemistry. The two girls were both tall and slim, and they were dancing with ease and grace. No one could tell it was their first slow dance.

Paige and Emily weren't aware of the envious and admiring looks on them. They were in their own world. Paige had butterflies in her stomach, and Emily was on cloud nine. Her eyes were locked to Paige's, and she knew she was exactly where she was supposed to be - in Paige's arms. She wanted the song to go on forever.

When Emily heard the lyrics of the last verse:

_**'You headed off to college at the end of the summer**_

_**And we lost touch**_

_**I guess I didn't realize even at the moment we lost so much**_

_**I haven't seen you in ages**_

_**Sometimes I find myself wondering where you are**_

_**For me you'll always be eighteen, and beautiful,**_

_**And dancing away with my heart.'**_

She smiled tenderly and whispered in Paige's ear, "Good choice of music, McCullers. But a little bit sad, don't you think?"

Paige didn't answer, but instead pulled Emily even closer, and buried her face in her neck. The raven-haired girl gently stroked her girlfriend's soft hair. She knew why the Californian had chosen that song. Their love was genuine, but still young. They were living far from each other, and they both had a whole year in high school before going to college. They hadn't talked about it, but they both knew it was a challenge.

When the song came to an end, Paige grazed Emily's cheek with her lips and whispered in her ear: "I love you, Em."

The kiss Emily gave her then left the boys around them -and few girls too- in shock and envious. Tongues were definitely involved.

Later that evening, when the DJ traded the slow songs for something more upbeat, the girls gathered around the buffet. The boyfriends were there too - and it was the first time that Paige had actually met Spencer's boyfriend Toby. She talked with Caleb, too, and they clicked instantly. Emily listened to them chatting about video games, feeling amused at first. But when Paige and Caleb began to talk about the next update of 'Call of Duty', the raven-haired beauty decided it was enough. She glanced over at Hanna, and her friend rolled her eyes. This kind of topic wasn't their cup of tea.

The bubbly blonde, who was wearing very high heels that made her almost taller than Emily, grabbed her friend's arm and whispered in her ear: "Paige and the guys are really getting along. She's really cool, Em. Maybe you could ask Pam and Wayne, about adopting her? No, wait, that doesn't work, because you two...Oh, I know! What about the Hastings? Spencer and Paige could _totally_ be sisters."

"I don't think Paige's parents would agree," Emily answered, rolling her eyes. Hanna had really weird ideas sometimes.

"Who knows?" Hanna retorted. You could not say if she was serious or not.

The blonde took a look at her cell phone and smiled mischievously. "Sooo..." she said, glancing at Emily. "Guess what?"

"What?" Emily asked mechanically. Whatever it was, Hanna was going to tell her anyway.

"Well, after that _super hot _slow dance, you're back on top."

"What?" Emily said, before realizing what Hanna was talking about. "That stupid poll, again...but do you mean...wait, it's a live vote?"

"Of course," Hanna said. "What would Twitter be worth, otherwise?"

* * *

"I can't believe you're leaving," Emily whispered softly, looking up at Paige. Her girlfriend smiled sadly, her throat tight. The two girls were lying on Emily's bed, the raven-haired girl's head on top of Paige's waist. Paige's fingers were softly grazing Emily's bare arm. The Rosewood teen could feel sparks at the touch. She wished they could stay like that forever.

The girls hadn't slept much, having spent most of the night talking and cuddling on the window seat. And kissing, of course. They both knew they would have to wait for months before seeing each other again, so they wanted to enjoy every minute.

The two teenagers startled when they heard someone knocking at the door.

"Come on in," Emily said, and a rather hesitant Pam Fields entered the room.

She took a glance at the girls, and seemed relieved to see that, though they were on the same bed (something she had expected anyway), they were on top of the covers, and both fully clothed.

"Girls," Mrs Fields said. "Paige's bus will leave in less than an hour, so if you want to have some breakfast, you'd better hurry up."

The Oakland swim team was taking a bus to Philadelphia to catch their flight back to San Francisco.

"I've made those pancakes you like so much, Paige," Pam said. "The ones with chocolate chips." The Californian smiled brightly at Emily's mother. Even if she wasn't hungry at all - her throat was too tight to swallow anything - Pam Field's kind gesture moved her.

While Paige was using the bathroom, Emily checked the bedroom, to make sure the other girl wasn't forgetting any of her belongings. Her girlfriend was so messy that it was really necessary. She spotted a Stanford hoodie on a chair; the one Paige had lent her once. She took the sweater in her hands and couldn't help but bury her nose in it, her eyes closed.

When she opened her eyes, she realized that Paige was back in the room. The Californian was staring at her, with a small smile on her lips. A blushing Emily handed her out the hoodie. "Keep it," Paige said softly. "I can get another one."

"You sure?" Emily asked, reluctantly. She liked the idea of having one of Paige's hoodies.

"Absolutely. Plus, this one really fits you. And Emily..."

"Yes?"

"I, um, I have a gift for you," Paige confessed, feeling embarrassed all of a sudden.

She rummaged in her backpack and gave Emily a small package wrapped in brown paper.

"What is it?" Emily asked, starting to open it.

"No," Paige stopped her. "Please can you open it later? When...when I'm gone," she added.

Emily peered at her. Paige had dipped her head, and her cheeks were slightly red. Emily smiled tenderly. "Okay, I promise to wait. But I'm really impatient."

She kissed Paige on the cheek, a soft and quick kiss. The California swimmer smiled and squezzed her girlfriend's hand. "Thanks, Em," she said hoarsely.

* * *

Aria, Hanna and Spencer were waiting for their friends in the Rosewood High parking lot, where the Oakland team was supposed to gather. The bus was already there, waiting. It was still early in the morning, but the girls wouldn't miss the opportunity to tell Paige goodbye. Even Hanna, who wasn't an early riser at all. They were also there for Emily, of course. They knew that their friends would need them after her girlfriend's departure.

Paige put her baggage down, and looked at her new friends. The Californian was smiling, but she could barely hide her emotions. Two weeks before, she didn't know any of those girls, and now it was like she was leaving her family behind.

"Come here, McCullers," Spencer said eventually, and the Oakland girl took a step forward.

Aria rose up on the balls of her feet and kissed Paige on both cheeks with genuine affection. "It was great to meet you, Paige," the petite brunette said. "Take care of yourself, and don't be a stranger."

"You too, Aria," Paige answered with a warm smile.

Hanna Marin gave Paige a bear hug, and said: "You'd better call us very often, McCullers. And if you don't, I will personally come to California to kick your butt."

Paige couldn't help but laugh. "I promise to call you, Hanna. And by the way, you're welcome in California anytime."

Spencer Hastings and Paige McCullers stared at each other, emotions clearly visible in their eyes.

Then the Rosewood girl shrugged and said, "It's only goodbye, not farewell, McCullers." Both girls knew that their newfound friendship was going to last. They didn't need to say much. Paige hugged Spencer and whispered in her ear: "Take care of Em for me, Spence."

"I will, Paige," the younger Hastings answered.

Before getting on the bus, Paige kissed Emily one last time, and said something in her ear. The raven-haired beauty, struggling to hold back her tears, just nodded and hugged her hard.

When the bus door closed on Paige, Emily felt the tears rushing to her eyes. Immediately, she felt Spencer's arms around her shoulders and Hanna's hand gripped her own firmly.

* * *

Later that day, when she was finally alone in her room, Emily opened Paige's gift. As expected given the size of the package, it was a book.

Emily read the title first: 'The Heart Is A Lonely Hunter'. Then she spotted the author's name, and smiled. "Carson McCullers," she said out loud. She now remembered having heard that name during her literature class. But she hadn't paid attention to it then. She opened the book and flipped through the pages. Something caught her eyes at the beginning of the book. There was a note written on the first page.

_"Another McCullers you might like. This book changed my life. And Emily, don't forget: I love you." _

"Oh Paige," Emily whispered, emotions rushing through her. She closed the book and put it on her bedside table. She ran her fingertips lightly over the cover.

"_You_ changed my life, Paige McCullers," she said softly, a happy smile lighting up her beautiful face.

**THE END**


End file.
